Finding Family
by Laurabeast
Summary: What if Daryl had been the one to chase after Sophia? What if a girl from the Dixon's past found them? This is a Daryl/ Carol, Merle/ OC fic. It goes AU after Sophia runs off the highway I hope you like it. I've never posted a story before I finished it so please review and tell me how it's going!
1. Chapter 1

Daryl drove his bike around the debris of cars abandon trying to find a way through for the Rv when he heard the shriek of the Rv coming to a halt steaming. That hose must have finally busted, he turned around to see what was gonna happen.

"Problem Dale?" He heard Shane ask as he came around the cars.

"Just the small matter of being stuck in the middle of nowhere with no hope of, okay that was dumb." Dale said looking around at all the other busted cars.

"Can't find a radiator hose here." Shane said sarcastically, Daryl was already looking through the cars.

"There's a whole bunch a stuff we can find." He said pulling a bag out of the car he was looking in.

"Siphon more fuel from these cars for a start." T-dog put in looking around at the cars.

"Maybe some water." Carol said hopefully, Daryl looked up at her for a minute, he had water on his bike, he'd have to get them some.

"Food." Glen put in.

"This is a grave yard." Lori said disgusted by the idea of looting bodies, Daryl looked over at her like she was retarded. "I don't know how I feel about this." She said, Daryl rolled his eyes, he wanted to give her a good smack and tell her to get off her fucking high horse, they needed supplies to survive, but he wasn't that stupid.

"All right, all right, here we go." T-dog said going off in one direction, Daryl just went back to searching.

"Come on y'all just look around gather what you can." Shane told the group, he knew Rick wouldn't go against his wife if he could help it.

Everyone wandered off to find stuff Daryl dug through a few dozen cars picking out food, water, a few choice weapons, and helping T-dog bust open gas tanks. He looked back to see Carol holding a red top up to her chest, the stupid woman was shopping.

"Ed never let me where nice things like this. We're gonna need clothes." She said grabbing the suit case. Daryl shook his head going back to what he was doing ignoring Carols talk with Lori. Everyone was excited when Shane found a whole truck full of water, but that ended real quick with a word from Rick.

"Lori, Under the cars, Carl, Sophia get down now." he ordered in a harsh whisper, Daryl crouched down beside the car he was at grabbing a screw driver off the ground, he could see T-dog bleeding and stumbling away, a walker was coming at him and he was on the ground now.

Daryl came up behind the guy silently grabbing it's head and forcing the screwdriver through it's skull. He lowered it to the ground silently looking up at T-dog holding his finger to his mouth to keep him quiet.

He pulled T-dog bleeding onto the ground and yanked the dead walker up over him, then went to a car, pulled out a dead guy and pulled it on top of him, trying to slow his breathing. He was in adrenaline over drive as the other walkers ambled by the pile of bodies.

As soon as they were clear he pulled himself up into a crouch not wanting to be under the body any more, and helped T-dog up, he sprang to his feet when he heard that little girl yell though taking his screwdriver with him as he ran to help her, Rick wasn't far behind him. He cut Sophia off grabbing her.

"Shoot them, shoot them!" She pleaded, he looked over at them, he knew he could shoot them, but not here, they were too exposed, and Sophia could get hurt if anything came up behind them.

"I will, just zip it." He told her scooping her up and running off to find a place further away from the herd on the road. He leaped down into a river.

"Get in there girl, I'll take care of these geeks, then we'll get you back to your mamma." He told her, she clung to his arm.

"Don't leave me!" She pleaded, he pushed her down into the hiding place under the roots of a tree.

"I ain't, now stay put." He told her walking out into plain view, he shot one with his bow, and the other fell down into the water after him, it turned to Sophia though, She bolted, and Daryl ran up stabbing it through the spine with his screwdriver.

He ran after her but the little shit was fast, and the underbrush was tripping him up he heard the sound of a church bell, and she started off towards it, he finally caught up with her grabbing her around the waist covering her mouth, there were four or five walkers that had been drawn to the noise too.

"Calm down, and keep quiet." He whispered pointing over at the walkers in the yard, he looked back over his shoulder, but one was coming up behind him, he picked her up.

"You hold on, don't let go, we need to get you safe." He whispered getting up with her clinging to his chest. He ran around, circled the building first, the bell was on a P.A. system, he slammed through the box cutting off another bell chime, he brained one of the walkers and took her back to the doors getting inside the church and locking the doors.

He set her down pushing her to the ground putting his fingers to his lips, there were walkers in here too. He motioned for her to stay put, she grabbed his hand, he put his hand over hers comfortingly then pulled away.

He snuck across the church and slammed his buck knife into the brain of the first of three walkers before they noticed him, they all turned now. The bride came at him next he stabbed her twice before she went down and the last one lunged at him. He fell to the ground he managed to slide his knife in it's mouth and through it's brain.

Sophia ran over to him now helping him get the body off of him, he could hear the other walkers at the door still. He sat up and she lunged forward hugging him, he sat there at a total loss for what to do.

He patted her on the back awkwardly, she was crying now, he pulled her away gently so he could look at her.

"Hey, we're alright, calm down, we gotta keep quiet, ain't looking to deal with more walkers then I gotta." Daryl told her it'd be getting dark soon, and they couldn't move after dark not with Sophia.

"Here, take this pop em each in the head again, just to be sure." He told her handing the screwdriver to her, he knew they were dead but she needed to stop being afraid if he was gonna get her back.

"Okay." She said nodded taking the screwdriver and going to the one next to them first.

"Yo JC, you taking requests?" He mumbled getting up and composing himself, he went to the stain glass windows, this place was far from safe, but it seemed to be working for now.

"I did it." She said excitedly, he laughed, girl was tough he'd give her that, just like her mamma.

"Good, now I need to take care a those geeks at the door so come here." He told her holding his hand out to her, she ran over taking his hand, which was a little odd, but he lead her behind the alter checking for walkers, and popped open the panel at the base.

He crouched down checking inside, it had wine and wafers in it, he pulled them out of the cupboard.

"You keep that, and stay here, no matter what you hear, just wait until I come get you, and don't make a sound." He told her, she nodded, he got up closing her into the alter and went back to the doors. He opened one and backed off waiting for them to come in to get him.

He took them out one at a time until he'd taken care of the three left from the yard, he went back out checking for more, and making sure the bells were off. He popped off one more, then went back inside locking the church up as best as he could.

He went back to the alter pulling the cupboard open, she swung the screwdriver at him, and he caught her wrist.

"Good swing, next time aim higher." He told her, she flung herself into another hug, he put an arm around her awkwardly pulling her out of the cubbyhole.

"We gonna stay here for the night, ain't walken out there, getting lost in the dark, get you back first thing in the morning." He told her, he grabbed the cushions off the pews laying them in the isle, pushed the benches and the bodies back against the windows, making them a bed in the middle of the room.

"Can I eat these?" Sophia asked when he was just about done, she was holding the wafers out towards him. He went over to her taking the bag he pulled out a handful and handed it to her, she gladly started putting them in her mouth.

He opened one of the wines and took a swig eating his own handful of wafers. They weren't that good, but they filled his stomach, and that was something. He took out one of those little plastic cups filling it with the wine and handing it to her.

"Drink up girl, then you get some sleep, I'll get you home." He told her, she nodded drinking her little cup of wine, she made a face, that cracked him up, but she got it down. She laid on the cushions and reached out for him.

She took his hand snuggling around it, it was awkward, and kind of uncomfortable, but he let her, he figured the girl could use what comfort she could get. He sat there on watch, but he didn't hear anything all night. He was starting to drift off when the sun started coming up so he had some more wafers.

"Aren't you tired?" Sophia asked as she stirred into consciousness, he smiled down at this little girl who had the gall to be worried about him while her own life was in danger.

"Ya, stayed up to watch your ass." He told her jokingly, she looked around biting her lip.

"You could sleep for a little while, and I can watch, I'll wake you up if anything makes any noise, I promise, you can't fight off zombies if you're sleepy." She told him, she had a pretty good point, and he was dragging ass from all that running and killing.

"You wake me up if you hear anything, and you ain't lettin go a my hand, you stay right here until I wake up. If you can't reach me, you're too far away." He told her, he didn't like the idea of being out, he couldn't protect her that way, but he couldn't do it any better if he was weak. He laid down and she took a hold of his outstretched hand, it was actually pretty easy to fall asleep there. He woke up to her shaking his shoulder a few hours later.

"What is it girl?" He asked clutching his knife and her hand, she pointed at the shadow across the window. He put his finger to his lips picking her up quietly, he flung his crossbow over his shoulder his knife in one hand and her on his other arm clinging to his side.

He went silently to the door stuffing the bag of wafers in his pocket, he opened the door as quietly as he could, there was only the one walker, he set Sophia down and shot it. He went over and got his bolt.

"You don't leave my sight girl." He told her slinging his crossbow and taking her hand so they could head back to the highway. He kept his knife drawn and the path easy, it was taking a lot longer to gain any ground this way. He knew the group would be looking for them by now.

It was getting dark by the time they'd even made it over half way, he kept having to stop to kill walkers, it was a lot more work with him trying to protect Sophia. He pushed her down to take care of yet another walker, he stabbed it in the head, but it held on as it fell pulling him down with it over the edge of a rise into the river.

He came up from the muddy water with a bolt in his side, his crossbow was gone, and so was his knife. Sophia was climbing down the rise slowly, it was pretty steep. He searched the muddy water pulling his knife out of the mud.

"Daryl, Daryl, are you okay?" She whispered loudly, he waved her down trying to keep her quiet, and his damn self, getting stabbed hurt like a bitch, wasn't the first time, but it still hurt. He looked around for his bow, it was nowhere to be found.

"Daryl, what should I do?" She asked when she got down to him, he was working the seam out of his shirt to make a bandage.

"I need you to go behind me, grab the end of the bolt twist off the head and push it out while I pull, then I need you to find my crossbow." He told her, she nodded hurrying around him and dropping to her knee to push the bolt.

"Ready?" She asked, he nodded grabbing the bolt ready to pull, she leaned on it and he pulled it out with a grimace. He put the bolt back together the stuck in his belt and started bandaging himself up while she looked for his bow. He tied it up pretty good, and got to his feet to help the girl look for his weapon.

"I, I found it." She whispered excitedly pulling it up out of the water, it was too heavy for her, but she had a good hold of it. He went over to her slowly taking the bow and putting his bolt back in it. He slung it back over his shoulder with a groan.

"We need to get back up that ridge." He told her through gritted teeth, he was losing blood and hurt like a bitch, but he needed to pull it together for this little girl.

He went over to the ridge and started working his way back up the ridge with Sophia ahead of him. He had to stop about halfway up breathing hard and clutching his side painfully.

"Come on, ya done half, stop being such a pussy." Daryl growled to himself, Sophia opened up the bag of wafers and gave him a handful. He laughed taking the food from her, girl was doing a damn fine job trying to keep him going.

She climbed up ahead of him, and when he went to follow a root snapped sending him tumbling back down to the muddy water and was out. He came to again and Sophia had stabbed a walker at his feet in the head with the screwdriver, and was standing over him protectively.

"What you doin girl?" He asked sitting up, she turned back to him crying and threw herself at him yet again hugging him. He cringed holding his side, but held her with his other hand. The girl had saved his life, and he was damn sure it had taken all her courage to do it.

"I, I killed it, it started chewing on your boot, and I killed it." She told him, he pulled her back off him so he could look her in the eyes.

"I'm glad ya did, but next time you don't risk it, your mamma needs you, and I ain't gonna be the reason you get bit, you get me?" He asked, she nodded still crying, as far as she'd known he could have been dead.

"Come on, lets get up this ridge." Daryl said getting back up sending her up in front of him again. It took a long time to drag his ass up that ridge but they made it to the top before they lost the light.

Sophia wedged herself under his arm helping him stay on his feet, but the going was slower then ever with his wound, it was long past dark when they could see the highway, and there wasn't a light to be seen though. He moved her behind him taking out his knife, there didn't seem to be any walkers, but he couldn't see any people either.

"Gonna get some sleep in one a these, and we'll be back by first light." Daryl told her, she nodded staying quiet like he kept telling her. He took her to an RV, not Dale's but it was better then a car, to sleep in. He searched it double tapped a body and tossed it back out onto the road.

"You take the bed, I'll watch till sunrise." He told her she shook her head.

"No, you're shot, you need to sleep, I'll stay up like before, and I'll wake you up when I get tired." She told him, he nodded still reluctant but the blood loss had his eyes drooping, she sat next to him on the bed and held his hand while he slept, so he knew she was still close, and safe. He woke up when the sun hit his eyes, she was just barely awake beside him.

"Come on, lets go find your Mamma." Daryl said getting up, she smiled letting her eye drift shut. He got up and picked her up letting her sleep against his chest while he went back to where the group should have been. Would have been a far cry simpler to do if he didn't have a sucking chest wound. His bike was still there thank God, and there was provisions and a note on a car in white.

'Sophia, Daryl, stay here, we will come every day' it said Daryl sighed at least they hadn't just up and left them. He set Sophia down leaning against the wheel of the car. He cracked open water taking a swig, and opening the peanut butter, he draped the blanket over Sophia and sat down next to her eating the peanut butter with his finger.

A few hours later she woke up and they had wafers and peanut butter he let her have the orange drink too. After a while she slept again, then when she woke back up she had him playing eye spy, which was ridiculous, but it made the time pass. And with an antibiotic and a pain killer from Merle's stash, it was kind of fun.

Sophia fell asleep again, around noon, and Daryl heard them before they saw him, he picked up Sophia and crouched behind the car waiting to see what it was, when he saw the car stop, and Carol get out Daryl stood up walking towards them slowly the pain killers were doing there job.

"Carol!" He called out to her carrying Sophia towards them, they looked over at him wounded and covered in blood, limping towards them with Sophia sleeping soundly in his arms, Carol couldn't tell if she was alive.

"Daryl, Sophia, is, is she?" She pleaded, Daryl managed a half smile.

"She's asleep." He told her, she sighed, Sophia stirred looking over her shoulder, she saw Carol running up the road. Daryl set her down and she ran to her, and Carol cried hugging her little girl.

Daryl smiled holding his side, T-dog was getting out of the car now, his arm all bandaged up. Carol looked up from Sophia in tears of Joy.

"Thank you, Thank you so much Daryl, you, you brought my baby back, thank you." She said going over to him and hugging him. Hell he'd gotten more hugs in the last three days then his whole life.

"Didn't do nothing, just carried her around." He told her draping one arm over her shoulder enjoying the feeling of her so close, though that may have more to do with the pain killers at this point.

"But you kept her safe, thank you." She told him turning and hugging Sophia again, he smiled glad he'd been able to keep her safe and bring her back to her, and it was kinda nice to hear.

"We were so scared that you'd died." Carol told them, Daryl shook his head.

"Take a lot more then a few geeks to off me." Daryl told her, T-dog came over to them looking Daryl up and down.

"You look like shit man. What happened?" T-dog asked Carol looked at his bloodstained clothes.

"Walker pulled me off a ridge stabbed my damn self with my own bolt, your girl saved my life." He told Carol, Carol looked down at Sophia, she had black blood splattered on her blue shirt.

"What, what happened?" She asked looking worriedly at her daughter. Sophia held up a black screwdriver flaking something off the metal part.

"Daryl fell and, and he passed out and then a walker came out of the woods and started chewing on his shoe, and, and I killed it so it wouldn't hurt Daryl." Sophia told her looking over at Daryl, Carol looked back at him, she'd never imagined her little girl would be able to do something like that. She took the screwdriver from her and set it on the ground.

"You, you did that, my baby girl, you're so strong." She told her sounding more worried then proud. Sophia looked back over at Daryl, she looked worried, for him, like she didn't want to lose him.

"Daryl told me, he said not to take risks like that, cause you need me, and I promised I wouldn't cause, I, I wanna keep you safe mamma." Sophia told her, she leaned over and picked the screwdriver back up, Carol cried, her little girl had been so scared before now she seemed so strong, so much stronger then Carol felt.

"Thank you." Carol said looking up at Daryl, Daryl nodded.

"Well, we found them, we should get back, call the search off so we don't have to be spread so thin." T-dog told them, Daryl nodded, he could use some rest where he knew Sophia was safe. They rounded up the supplies.

Daryl went and get on his bike he sent Sophia in the car and he followed the group, they ended up at this huge farm, the group was camped out in the yard, when they saw the car coming back so soon they all went to see why.

Everyone cheered greeting them happily when they arrived, Daryl looked around not seeing Carl, Rick or Shane.

"Everyone else out lookin for Sophia, they took the boy?" Daryl asked, Carol shook her head looking at the ground.

"No, he was hurt, he's resting, but he's gonna be okay. Everyone's gonna be okay, thanks to you Daryl." Carol told him, he nodded, he went to find a place to sleep, but Carol grabbed his arm.

"You should have Hershel take a look at that, he's a doctor." She told him, he looked down at her hand on his arm, then back at her.

"Ya. Okay." He said letting her lead him inside the farm house her hand trailing down to hold his, she brought him to a white haired old man in suspenders.

"Hershel, this is Daryl, he's the one who we've been looking for, he saved my little girl, but he got an arrow through his side, can you help him?" She asked, he gave her a strange look, apparently saving the girl made him way more important then he had been on the highway.

"Come on in here and I'll take a look." Hershel told him, he followed Hershel to a bedroom where he was laid down bandaged and stitched. He'd had a pretty nice gash on his head too.

"You took a pretty good knock on the head too, it's a wonder you made it out of the river, you don't seem to be concussed though, you should get some rest." Hershel told him, so he did, it was kind of hard without the girl, he found himself worrying that something might happen to her, but after giving himself a mental slap he closed his eyes.

Carol came in a few hours later with a tray of food and something for him to drink, it smelled good, he'd been able to smell them eating, but he'd figured they'd forget him.

"How you feelin?" She asked setting the food on the night stand. He pulled the blanket up to cover his scar covered chest awkwardly.

"Not as good as I look." He told her, she raised her eyebrows at that, like she was saying I guessed that. He held the blanket up by his chin.

"I brought you some dinner, you must be starvin." she told him, he looked back at her trying to figure out if this was just a thank you, or if she genuinely cared. She bent over and kissed the side of his head.

"Watch it, I got stitches." He mumbled to cover up his embarrassment at never having been kissed by a woman before, he'd kissed a few, but it had never gone well.

"You need to know somethin, you did more for my little girl today then her own daddy ever did in his whole life." She told him, he looked over at her for a minute then hid his embarrassment in the warm blanket.

"I didn't do anything Rick or Shane wouldn't a done." He mumbled not looking at her, that would stop her from being so impressed, heck he wasn't half the man they were as far as the group was concerned.

"I know, you're every bit as good as them, every bit." She told him turning to leave, he watched her for a second, then pulled the blanket up a little further, he wrapped it around his hand and leaned on it. He had never expected that, hell no one had ever said anything so nice to him.


	2. Chapter 2

He ate then fell asleep with those words echoing in his head, with a small smile on his lips, when he woke up he got out of the bed. He didn't feel half bad, and he didn't really care for being in this house, too closed off.

He wandered off towards the woods, way away from the house and started collecting long thin sticks to make into bolts, checking for a good grain, and a mostly straight knot free stick, he was down to one bolt now, and he was sick of conserving ammo. He tossed the wood down and went and got his tent, he set it all up and pulled out his knife doing his best not to favor his side.

He found himself a seat and started in on the bolts, it was gonna take a long time to make them worthy of shooting especially without any sand paper. He started whittling away at the branches, it was relaxing work, and it didn't aggravate his chest wound.

After a few hours he looked up at the sound of footsteps to see Sophia walking towards his little camp. He shook his head sticking his knife in the stump he was sitting on.

"What are you doing out here girl?" He asked, she held out a plate happily.

"Mom made you a sandwich, what are you doing all the way out here, you should camp by us?" Sophia asked handing the plate to Daryl, he took it opening up the sandwich, it was chicken breast with lettuce and tomato on it. He smiled he didn't get cooked food or fresh vegetables very often and he hadn't had a decent sandwich since before this whole zombie thing.

"Aint much for crowds, thank your mamma for me." He said raising the plate, she flopped down on the ground picking up one of his sticks.

"You should thank her, she likes it when you talk to her." Sophia told him, he looked up from his sandwich sceptically.

"The hell makes you think that?" He asked taking a bite of his sandwich, it was good. The idea of his presence making Carol happy was more then a little odd.

"She only smiles when she's talks to you, what are you doing with all these?" She asked changing the subject, he smiled, but dismissed it as gratitude for saving her daughter.

"Making bolts, only got one left." He told her gesturing to his crossbow, she looked over at it then back at the stick in her hand.

"Can I help?" She asked, he laughed pulling his knife out of the stump.

"Need a knife, could use sand paper too if you can find it." He told her, she hopped up excitedly and ran off to get what he'd asked for. Daryl ate his sandwich and took the plate back towards the group. He found Carol in the RV washing the dishes, it was cleaner then it had been before.

"Hey." He said stepping in to the RV and holding the plate out to her, she looked up at him and smiled taking his plate.

"I thought you might be hungry." She told him, he nodded.

"Thanks, almost thought I was in the wrong place." He said awkwardly shifting towards the exit.

"Ya, I cleaned a little while you were gone..." He smirked giving her a nod then moving to leave the RV. "Daryl." She said quietly, he stopped half way out the door and turned back to her.

"Ya?" He asked, she looked back at the dishes she was cleaning.

"You don't have to stay all the way out there, you've earned your place in the group and... I know Sophia would feel safer with you near by." She told him, he sighed trying not to smile.

"Ain't that far off, sides ain't one for crowds." He told her, she nodded looking a little disappointed, but she let it go. He left going off to find feathers from the chicken coop, then went to the shed where he knew they'd just started butchering a cow. He decided to wait to do anything else, he'd see how much she wanted to learn.

Sophia was waiting for him on his stump proudly clutching a small pocket sized black wrapped cloth in her hands.

"What'd ya get." He asked laying the feathers out on the ground where they wouldn't get stepped on.

"Hershel gave me his whittling set, he said I could keep it, if I could really use it." She told him unfolding it to reveal a pad of sand paper, a small sharpening file, and a set of knives razor sharp. He looked impressed, and that made Sophia smile.

"This is a hell of a thing, don't lose it." He told her, she clasped it to her chest.

"I won't." She promised, he picked up one of the sticks looking at it, the grain was wrong, but it would be good for her to practice on.

"How much you really wanna learn?" He asked, she stuck the knife set in her pocket and hopped off his stump.

"Everything!" She told him happily, he nodded taking her to the cow hanging from a rope tied to the rafter by it's legs. He pulled out his buck knife and handed it to Sophia.

"We need to cut the sinew off to use as a tie for the feathers. Watch, don't talk." He told her taking her hand and showing her how to hold the knife and cut the sinew. She was good at it, so they skinned off a good bit of sinew only ruining a little, probably more then he'd need, but he didn't reckon the group would use it any way, and he could use the extra to show Sophia how to work with it.

He took her back to the stump, he showed her how, and she laid the sinew out to dry, he was surprised how fast she learned.

"How do you know all this stuff?" She asked him, he was looking for two good rocks to pound the sinew with once it was dry.

"Merle taught me, only thing he was ever good for." He told her, she went over and sat by his stump pulling out her new whittling set.

"Do you miss him?" She asked, Daryl tossed the rocks he'd found by the drying sinew, and went to his spot on the stump.

"Ya, he's my brother, come on that needs to dry, show you how to make a descent shaft." He changed the subject, she nodded picking up her stick.

"When you get wood for these you wanna be sure it's straight, and the grain goes all the way through from the end to the tip if you can, the less the grain runs off the less likely it is to break when it hits something." He told her, she examined her stick carefully for a long moment while he explained.

"So this grain is not right, I want one like yours?" She asked, he nodded, she was a bright kid.

"Gonna start ya on that one though so ya can get the hang a it, ain't gonna risk you muckin up a perfectly good shaft." He told her, she nodded with an air of determination.

"Gonna whittle it down as straight as ya can, give it a point, then sand it smooth, once ya get that down, we'll knock 'em." He told her going to work on his own, he'd made three before she seemed satisfied with the one she had.

"Like this?" She asked handing him the bolt, he looked it over.

"The point needs to be even, and it's a little thin in some places, here, look down the shaft and you can see it, but it's good work for your first go." He told her, she smiled disappointed that it wasn't prefect, but happy he was impressed. He gave her another stick to work with, this one a little better then the last.

He heard footsteps, his hand went to his crossbow protectively, but relaxed his grip when he saw it was Carol. She was looking at them with a little confusion, trying to figure out what they were up to, she was carrying food with her.

"What are you two up to?" She asked setting her little pick nick down by them. Sophia held up her unfinished bolt proudly.

"Daryl's teaching me how to make bolts for his crossbow!" She said excitedly, Carol looked at her stick with a bit of skepticism, but she smiled honestly.

"It looks nice, will it shoot?" She asked looking to Daryl for the answer.

"Well, not yet mom, I'm not that good at it yet, and this one isn't done, but Daryl's will, he's really smart." She told Carol, who smiled proudly at her daughter.

"Ya he is, you'll be just as good before you know it." She told Sophia, Sophia went back to making her bolt.

"Ain't nothin, just thought she could use somethin to do." Daryl told her to cut off any questions, she smiled sweetly at him.

"Thank you, it's good for her to keep busy." Carol told him, he shrugged going back to his own work. "I brought us dinner." She told them opening up the basket she had, she pulled out peaches bottles of water and some jerky. She handed it out to the two of them and sat down opposite of Sophia on the other side of Daryl.

"So, what have you learned so far?" Carol asked Sophia, she looked up excitedly, eager to tell her what she'd learned. Daryl ate while Sophia explained what he'd taught her, it was kind of nice just sitting there eating with them, almost like he had a place here.

"Can I help, they just make me do dishes and laundry in the camp, it'd be nice to learn how to do something useful?" She asked, Daryl rolled his eyes.

"What you think this is the fucking cub scouts, I ain't no troop leader." He grumbled, Carol looked down at her feet about to concede to his will.

"Please Daryl, you're really, really good at it!" Sophia pleaded, she had her best pout on, Carol bit her lips, she knew how hard it was to resist that pout, but she didn't think Daryl would care.

"Ya, whatever, get over here then." He told her gesturing for Carol to come sit beside him, she was stunned for a moment, then hurried up onto the small stump to sit next to him, it was hard not to touch him while sitting that close, so she just gave up. He picked up one of his shaped bolts handing it to her.

"Need 'em to look like this, smooth, straight, with a long grain, and an even point, ya whittle it down straight, then sand it smooth, not too hard." He told her pointing out everything he talked about on the shaft she was holding. He reached over and grabbed her a new one to work on.

"I think I can do that." She said setting the nice one down with the others and looking around for a knife, Daryl held his hand out to Sophia, and she handed him a whittling knife. He passed the knife to Carol.

They sat there quietly all working on there respective tasks for a long time. It was peaceful, and he would never admit it but he liked sitting so close to Carol, she treated him like an equal, and well he hadn't gotten that much of that in his life.

"Hss!" Carol hissed dropping her bolt, Daryl tensed looking over to see what had happened, her hand was bleeding, she must have cut herself on the whittling knife.

"Go get you're Mamma a bandage." He told Sophia, he dropped his stuff on the ground and grabbed the rag he'd taken out to use when he coated the bolts. He took Carol's hand and wrapped the rag around her thumb gently. Sophia ran off to do as he'd said.

"Keep 'em sharp to whittle, but ya gotta cut away from your hand." He told her, he had both his hands wrapped around hers holding the rag in place, she looked up at him embarrassed as she met his cool blue gaze.

"Sorry, I think I got blood on the bolt." She told him with tears in her eyes either from pain, or she really thought he'd be mad she bled on a stick.

"Ain't a big thing, just a stick." He told her, she looked down at there clasped hands then smiled back up at him.

"I really appreciate what you're doing for Sophia." She told him, he looked a little confused, what exactly did she think he was doing.

"I ain't doin nothin." He countered, she shook her head.

"You may not think so, but she was so afraid all the time before, but you, you make her, us feel safe, and I can't thank you enough for that." She said seriously, he didn't know what to think about that, no one had ever told him that, in fact they usually said the opposite.

"Ain't gonna let anything happen to you or your little girl, that don't make me no hero or nothin, just ain't a dick." He told her, she laughed putting her free hand over his.

"I still appreciate it." She told him as Sophia came running back with the first aid kit clutched to her chest.

"Take care a her." He told Sophia and got up off the stump to go check on the sinew, it was practically baking in the sun, but it still wouldn't be ready today, he'd really prefer to use older sinew, it'd speed the whole process up, but he didn't have any just lying around.

Sophia and Carol got her all bandaged up and she went right back to work, he had to hand it to them they were a determined pair. He went over and cleaned one of his rabbits, he didn't need Carol making him supper too, he turned to get himself something to spit it on and Sophia was right behind him watching what he'd been doing.

"Christ girl, the hell you doing?" He asked trying not to show how much she'd startled him he hadn't even heard her come over, which was unusual for him, he was far too comfortable around them.

"I was watching you, I wanna know how to skin stuff too, Ed never let me do anything like that." She told him, it struck him as a bit odd that she'd called him Ed, but who was he to talk.

"Ya, well I ain't no teacher, but maybe next time." he told her going over to his little hand made fire pit, Sophia watched him light the fire, it was like having an extra shadow. He spit the rabbit, and put it over the fire shewing Sophia back to her bolt while he watched the fire.

"How's this?" Carol asked handing him the blood stained bolt, he took it from her looking down the shaft and examining the point, it was damn near perfect.

"Not bad." He told her setting it in the stack with his, she smiled proudly and started on the next one, he cooked the rabbit saving the fat for the arrows and offered the cooked meat up to the two women.

"Thank's Daryl." Sophia said ripping a big hunk a meat off the rabbit, Carol nodded her appreciation as well taking her own hunk of meat. He sat down next to Carol on the stump picking off his own meal. It was starting to get dark now, he'd spent the whole day with these two it had been nice, but he sure as hell wouldn't have them sleeping out here.

"Y'all get back to camp, show you more tomorrow." He told them, Carol got up taking the bolt with her, Sophia pouted up at him handing him the bolt she'd finished. He rolled his eyes checking it for deformities, it was pretty good, god enough to use at least.

"Not bad, try not to over sand though." He told her putting it in the pile with the other, she smiled hopping up ecstatically and following her mamma. He shook his head picking up the arrow stained with blood coating it with oil. He took the rabbit skin and stretched it to the tree before he climbed into his tent to sleep.

He woke up to the sound of footsteps outside his tent, he picked up his knife silently getting to his feet, before he had the chance to go to the flap the zipper opened, so he waited, it probably wasn't a walker using the zipper, but who the hell would be out here?

"Daryl?" He heard Sophia's voice as she poked her head in the tent, Daryl sighed putting his knife away.

"Gonna get yourself killed like that girl." He told her, she looked down at her feet embarrassed when she got all the way in the tent.

"Sorry, I was just scared, and mamma was asleep, I thought that you might still be up." She told him he shook his head sitting back down.

"Wasn't, till you trampled out here, don't drag your feet." He told her, she nodded sitting down by him.

"Could you tell me a story?" She asked looking up at him with a big puppy dog pout, he rolled his eyes.

"I ain't your daddy, go wake your mamma up if you want a bed time story." He told her, she shot him a look of pure devastation. He sighed obviously defeated by this little girl.

"Please!" She pleaded.

"Fine, what do you wanna hear?" He asked she smiled thinking about what she would ask him.

"Tell me about how you got out of Atlanta, and how you met mamma." She told him he shook his head.

"I'd been hunting when everythin went to hell, ain't an idiot, when they called to evac we were a head a the line, went and found Merle and headed for Atlanta lost him until the evac point he pulled me off the choppers, so we took the truck he stole and we were waitin in that damn traffic not doin a damn thing, Merle starts bitchen he's hungry, on something too strong for his own good, so I went to get somethin to eat. 'Merle's right fucking staving.' I say out loud ain't no good reason for it, just talkin, and your mamma holds out one a those emergency ration thing, say 'Here, I can't eat right now anyway.' She tells me, first nice thing a good lookin woman ever did for me, not much for charity, but wasn't like there was a taco johns around the bend so I took it. 'Thanks' I told her, I brought the food back to Merle and we ate, never even saw you.

A few hours later we'd moved a bit, I was sittin in my truck just watchin and I saw your mamma again, Ed was yellin pissed for her given out food. I figured it was partially my fault so I got out a my truck and he hit her, saw fuckin red, my da he'd been like that makes my skin crawl.

She ran off and I charged the fucker kicked his fuckin ass for a bit left him on the ground, spit on him told him if he ever touched a woman like that again I'd kill him, went back to my truck then all hell broke lose, aint no good reason why, I just followed her car, ended up in the quary with the group, you know the rest." He told her, she had curled up on the floor with her head on his lap during the story, and now her eyes were closed, and he was decidedly uncomfortable.

"So you beat up Ed, and you could protect us if he came back?" She asked sleepily, he shrugged.

"Ya I guess, ain't coming back though, your mamma saw to that." He told her, she mumbled something he couldn't make out.

"Or a ghost." Was all he understood he put a hand on her her shoulder comfortingly, he hoped.

"Ain't gonna let anything happen to you or your mamma, promise." He told her, either she believed him or she was so asleep she didn't care, but she seemed comforted.

He shook his head leaning over and grabbing his jacket, he wrapped it around her and yet again as the man with a hole in his side he scooped her up off the ground and made his way out of the tent. He carried her back to the RV where they had been sleeping.

Before he even got half way there he saw the light flip on in the RV, someone, probably Carol came out and seemed to be looking around. He sped up a bit pretty sure that she was looking for Sophia.

"Hey, got your girl, should keep an eye out, just wandered out to my tent ain't gonna walk her back every night, was tryin to sleep." He told Carol walking by her and into the RV. He went back to the bed and laid her down, she rolled over clinging to his coat.

"Thank God, I thought, I thought for a second that I'd just dreamed her coming back, that you two were still lost, I was so scared." She told him, he wanted to comfort her, so he did what he always did when he felt weak.

"Ya well ya mind the brat better and you wouldn't have that problem." He sneered, she looked hurt, but smiled anyway, he just wanted to shake the woman, he was doing everything to drive her away, and she still thought he was a good guy, but look at her track record.

"He was the one who beat up Ed." Sophia mumbled, Carol looked down at her in confusion.

"No sweety, Shane did that." Carol told her, Daryl smirked, but he stayed quiet, Sophia didn't though.

"Not then, when we were leaving Atlanta, you gave him food, and he saw Ed hurt you, when you left he beat him up for hurting you, that's why he was nicer in the camp. He was afraid of Daryl." Sophia told her, Carol looked over at Daryl for conformation.

"Did you really do that for us?" She asked still looking at him, he shrugged.

"I pay my dues, I owed you, ain't like I did anything special, just hit the guy, good lord." He said shifting awkwardly. She was taken aback by it, she didn't even remember giving him the food.

"He said you were pretty." Sophia told her Daryl turned red.

"Never tellin you anythin, I'm goin back to bed." He mumbled quickly tousling Sophia's hair and hurrying out of the RV.

"He really said that?" He heard Carol asking Sophia as he left this could only end poorly, he went back out to his tent riding the sinew of bugs before he went back in to sleep. He kept thinking about that night, how Merle had told him he was a pussy for not just fucking her when he told him he wasn't like that, and then again when he'd followed them, and for wanting to stay with a group even though they could have made it easily on there own, Merle wanted to rob them.

Merle had scorned him for almost every decision he'd made that night, but for nearly the first time he hadn't cared. He still thought they were his best decisions ever. He woke up again to the sound of footsteps outside his tent, but he could see sunlight through the fabric of the tent so at least he'd gotten to sleep.

"Daryl?" this time it was Carol's voice he blushed, he didn't really want to deal with her telling him she didn't feel that way about him, or ignoring it and just giving him that look when she thought he wasn't looking, he'd gotten a lot of that.

"What?" He asked through the tent hoping she'd just give him a message then go away.

"We brought you breakfast, and Sophia's already working on another bolt, she woke me up two hours ago so she could help me cook." Carol said, Daryl laughed, guess she was ignoring it then for the sake of her daughter being stuck to him like a second shadow.

"You people gotta stop bringing me food, I ain't your dog, I can feed my damn self." He told her when he came out of the tent. Carol was waiting for him with a plate of food while Sophia whittled, she was in the red shirt he'd seen her find, it looked good on her, which seemed cruel since he couldn't have her.

"I know, it's just nice, and I have so much to thank you for, and I don't know how else to show you that I'm grateful." She told him, he rolled his eyes that's what this was hu, a pity friendship, tossing the camp dog a bone for doing something good.

"Ain't nothin to thank me for, don't confuse me with someone who cared, I just don't like owing people, good lord." He told her ignoring the plate even though it had eggs and bacon on it, food he hadn't had fresh in ages and going to the sinew. She set it on the stump and picked up the bolt she'd taken with her, the sinew would be ready to work with by tonight.


	3. Chapter 3

"How's this?" She asked holding the bolt out to him, he snatched it from her examining the bolt, this one was better then the last one, but he didn't feel like being nice.

"It'll do." He said tossing it in the pile, in all honesty he had more then enough bolts he'd only planed to make three he had a dozen or so in the pile. "Let's knock these." He told them picking up a hunk of wood that he'd picked out to hold them, he'd whittled a notch in it that would fit the bolts.

"Wait, I'm not done yet, eat breakfast first." Sophia told him, he rolled his eyes and reluctantly sat on the stump to eat. The food was perfect, not that he'd admit that.

"Is it any good, it's been a long time since I've made a real breakfast?" She asked, damn woman it was like she could read his mind, every time he thought he'd never admit something she asked.

"Edible, it's all that matters." He mumbled cleaning his plate in silence, she sat by Sophia content to just watch the two of them. He didn't know what to think of those two, they acted like he was part of there family, but he knew he wasn't important to them, well maybe Sophia, God knows why, but she seemed to think he mattered.

"Done, is it good?" Sophia asked handing him the bolt she'd been working on, he took it, it was pretty good this time.

"Good." He said simply still not feeling very generous, but he didn't have the heart to be mean after she'd worked so hard on it. He took them to the fence and tied a wood holder for each of them to a fence making his a couple posts over, and showed them how to knock them, saying only what was absolutely necessary.

He continued this silent treatment through the process of preparing the sinew, but with Sophia's incessant questions it didn't feel like it, Carol left when they started working on the sinew, she said it was to keep up with chores, but he was pretty sure he was making her feel unwelcome, and well that had been the point but now that it worked he felt bad.

They were fletching the bolts now, and Daryl could see Carol coming over to bring them diner, Daryl had given up trying to get her stop feeding him since he didn't think she would, and in all honesty she made better food then him. Carol set three plates of chicken, potato's, and corn down from a tray along with three bottles of water.

Daryl cracked his water first, he wasn't by the well out here, so he usually only drank what she brought him. The chicken smelled like garlic, and she'd put cheese in Sophia's, and his potato's which for around here made them a delicacy.

"Mom am I gonna get any presents this year, I mean in two weeks it's my birthday, but we don't have much, it's okay if I don't I was just wondering?" Sophia asked, Daryl remembered the first time his birthday had gone uncelebrated, it was crushing when you were that age.

"We'll get you something nice, I promise." She told her, Daryl sighed knowing that now he'd have to get her something and he didn't think a dead squirrel was gonna cut it. Well he already had the sinew, he might as well make her a bow, she was big enough to draw one that would put down a walker, and he already had a ridiculous number of arrows.

Daryl ate quickly then got up, he had bow string in his bag but he'd need decent wood to make it out of. He was starting towards the woods when they noticed.

"Where are you going?" Sophia asked, looking up after him, he slumped he'd been hoping to escape without notice, but not with these two.

"Away, can't get a moments piece, good lord." He told them huffing off, he collected quite a bit of wood before he chose a choice piece, he did the initial carving with his own knife, and by then it was starting to get dark, he'd need to get a hold of Sophia's whittling set to refine it too. He went back towards his camp, Sophia was of coarse still there with Carol working more arrows.

He set the crude bow form in the y in a tree just outside line of sight and went back to his camp. He looked over the arrows they'd finished while he was gone, Sophia was getting quite adept at it, and Carol's like always were carefully made and nearly perfect, though she didn't make nearly as many.

"You two should head back to camp, and no sneaking out, I mean good lord, ain't gotten a full nights sleep since we were barricaded in an RV." He told them, he didn't really mind, but he didn't want Sophia sneaking in and finding her unfinished bow. Sophia nodded guiltily since she was the one who usually woke him up in the middle of the night.

"Thank you Daryl." Carol said after Sophia left, Daryl raised an eyebrow at her.

"What the hell ya thankin me for now?" He asked, it was like the woman didn't know how to do anything else.

"Just for putting up with us, I know you like your personal space, but Sophia really enjoys spending time with you, I think she sees you as a bit of a father figure, and she needs that, Ed wasn't the best for that." She told him, his face darkened, he refused to be held reasonable for this little girl, he didn't need that on his conscious when he failed.

"I ain't her Daddy, just cause I didn't kick the kid like a bad habit don't mean I care about her." He told her, her expression fell, but she didn't look sad, just disappointed.

"I know, but you're still a lot better then Ed." She told him, he shook his head taking a step towards her.

"She ain't mine, don't put that on me, you two ain't my problem." He growled even though he knew his actions contradicted his words he still wanted to believe them.

"Don't do that, don't pretend you don't care, I know you may not think anything of me, but you can't tell me you don't care about what happens to Sophia." She said viamently shaking her head, when he didn't respond she just walked away.

Infuriating woman, he knew she was right, but that didn't make it any less irritating that she knew it too. He went and retrieved the bow hiding it in his tent, after a few more hours of careful whittling with his knife it could have passed as a bow, but he wanted it to look nice. He snuck into camp to borrow the whittling set from Sophia, but that meant he'd have to get past Carol too.

The first night he snuck in there without a hitch, and put it right back before morning, and went on making arrows during the day, while ignoring them. Eventually his luck ran out though, he snuck in grabbed the set and went back out to the tent, but he'd picked up a tail.

Carol waited until he was in the tent before she followed since she knew he'd hear her otherwise, she was actually pretty quiet when she wanted to be, he might still hear, but she had a better shot this way. She poked her head into his tent to see him working on a bow that was obviously not sized for himself.

"I thought you didn't care." Carol said with a little snip of gloating in her tone, he jumped cutting his hand.

"Good lord woman, coulda killed you." He told her trying not to bleed on the bow.

"Right, you didn't even know I was here, your not the only one who can be sneaky, come here, I'll fix ya up, I didn't mean to startle you." she told him, he didn't have a chance to tell her he was fine before she had his hand.

She dabbed the blood off gently with the corner of her red over shirt and pulled a band aid out of her pocket wrapping it around his finger. She stuck the ends together and kissed it in a very motherly gesture that he'd only seen her use on Carl and Sophia, which made him feel like a child.

"I ain't your kid, don't need you molly coddlin me all the time." He told her actually angry, he didn't want to her to think of him like that, even though he had liked the way her lips felt.

"Sorry force of habit." She said with a blush that made the gesture seem less pointed, and more kind.

"Why you out here?" He asked setting the unfinished bow aside, he was almost done with the whittling portion, and he was hoping she would forget about asking him why he was making the thing.

"I heard you in the RV, I was trying to figure out why, but I can see you had good reason." She said looking to the bow, he sighed.

"Just keep it quiet, I don't need Rick deciding everyone in camp should have one, and I sure as hell don't need Sophia finding out." he told her she smiled obviously pleased.

"I thought we weren't your problem." She just couldn't let it go, she had to prove he cared about them, even if she didn't care about him.

"Ya ain't, but everybody deserves a present on there birthday at that age." He told her, she nodded, he was sure she'd gone through it before too.

"When's your birthday?" She asked he smirked, like it mattered.

"Last month." He told her, she frowned.

"You should have told us." She said looking guilty for missing it.

"Ain't like it mattered." He told her picking the bow back up since it didn't look like she was going anywhere. She came up like she might sit down, but instead she leaned over kissing his cheek softly.

"Happy birthday." She whispered and turned to leave, he was stunned for a second reaching his hand up to touch the spot where she'd kissed him.

"Hey." He said surprising Carol. "When's yours?" He asked, she looked over her shoulder at him with a smile.

"Not for three more months, good night Daryl." She said leaving the tent, he fell back in his cot with his hand on his cheek feeling rather confused, she knew how he felt about her, was she just toying with him, or did she like him? If she did why hide it like that, did she really know how he felt?

He fell asleep thinking about it, not that it mattered this was the end of the world, he shouldn't even care. Over the next few days he finished the bow carved her name into it, put a finish on, and strung it. He hid it in his tent to wait until her birthday, but this was Daryl so of coarse something messed up his plan.

"Daryl! Daryl!" Sophia was running towards his camp sobbing with her mother no where to be seen which made him worried that the sobs were for her. She ran at him, and he crouched down catching her as she hugged him. He hugged her back awkwardly rubbing her back in what he hoped was a soothing gesture.

"Damn girl what are ya bellerin about?" he asked worried she backed up so she could look at him.

"Carl, and the others even mom are learning how to shoot, but I asked if I could, and Carl told me I was a weak little girl and that I didn't need a gun, I just needed to be protected!" She sobbed, Daryl tried not to laugh, this was what had her so worked up.

"Stop cryin, you've taken down a walker haven't you, Carl hasn't ever even tried, I reckon that makes you the protector. Come on now, Carl's a fuckin idiot." Daryl told her, she looked up at him with a huge pout tears still streaking down her cheeks.

"But, but he gets to learn how to use a gun." She pouted, he could tell she was fishing for him to offer to teach her himself, but he didn't really like guns, he could use them, but not like Shane.

"How bout I give you your birthday present now, that make ya stop cryin?" He asked, her face lit up instantly.

"Really you got me a birthday present, what is it, what is it!?" She clambered no trace of her tears left.

"Close your eyes, and I ain't got but one present so no whining when you don't get nothin on the day." He told her, she nodded stoically and slapped her hands over her eyes. Daryl reached into the tent and snagged the bow, and stocked quiver he'd made, he set them down in front of her.

"Can I open my eyes yet?" She asked impatiently, he chuckled, she was so much like her mom, but she lacked her patients, and understanding, something he was sure she'd gained over time.

"Ya." He said simply, she opened her eyes excitedly and her expression lifted to one of wonder as she stared at the finely crafted bow and quiver stocked with arrows she'd made herself.

"This is for me, I can keep it, I don't have to share or nothing?" She asked reaching out and touching it delicately as if it might turn to dust before her eyes.

"Ain't gonna take it back, worked damn hard on that thing too, so you better take care a it, needs to be oiled now and again, even teach ya how to use it if ya ask nice and listen when I tell ya what to do." He told her, a new wave of tears filled her eyes but this time from joy as she read her name roughly carved into the bow filled to be smooth.

"Thank you so much Daryl, I'll listen I promise, can we start now, pretty please?" She pleaded, he laughed, he had never laughed so much as when he was around these two women.

"Wouldn't a given it to ya now otherwise." He told her picking up his own crossbow, he lead her to the field near the camp, you could see the RV from here, so she wouldn't wander off if she wanted to practice without him. He grabbed a hay bail tossing it on it's side, it'd make a good target.

"First." He said pulling out a strip of cloth from his back pocket, he wrapped it around he left fore arm so the bow string wouldn't snap against her arm.

"Now, give that here, I'll show ya how to pull it." He said holding his hand out for the bow, she handed it to him reluctantly like she was scared he'd keep it. He pulled out an arrow, his were a bit too long, but the principal was the same. He shot the arrow into the center of the bail, he was better with a crossbow, but he was still a hell of a shot with the under sized bow.

She watched him intently as he fired off a few arrows all within inches of each other, he walked up to the bail retrieving his arrows, then gave the bow back to Sophia. She excitedly pulled out an arrow, then promptly shot it nowhere, she'd forgotten to knock it.

"Here." He said kneeling beside her, he showed her how to knock the arrow and helped her with her hold on the bow setting the arrow on top of the hand holding the bow.

"Just point the tip at the target." He said helping her sight it, he wasn't much of a teacher, but she was a good student. He spent the next few hours teaching her the basics of archery while the group learned to fire a gun.

"Wow, where'd you get a bow?" Carl asked in awe of her new toy, Daryl looked over at him not too happy with the boy for making Sophia cry.

"Daryl made it for me, and he's teaching me how to use it, and you can't have one, cause you were mean to me." She told him triumphantly, Daryl smiled slightly watching her scold him.

"Well my dad says I can carry a gun once I'm done learning how to use one properly, and that's way cooler." Carl countered, Sophia laughed shaking her head.

"No way, my bow is totally quiet, and I can make my own ammo, and Daryl's way cooler then your dad, and he uses a bow." Sophia shot back, Carl stuck his tongue out at her huffing off defeated, Daryl shook his head smirking.

They turned back to there target practice, she was getting to be a decent shot, she usually hit the target, and she had stopped twanging the string against her arm for the most part, but her fingers were starting to get sore.

"Hey, you gave it to her early, how do you like it sweety?" Carol asked coming up behind them when she saw them out there.

"It's awesome, look, Daryl carved my name in it, so Carl can't steal it, and these are the arrows I made, and I can hit the target now, and Daryl's gonna teach me to be as good as him, and I'm gonna practice every day, and now me and dad can protect you." Sophia rambled so fast that Daryl almost missed the last bit, but Carol didn't.

"You and who can protect me?" Carol asked, Sophia didn't even seem to think anything of it.

"Me and Daryl, here watch me shoot." She said going back to her shooting, Daryl was a bit stunned, maybe he'd just misheard, but he was pretty sure Sophia had just referred to him as her dad.

"Wow, you're so good already, pretty soon you'll be out shooting Daryl." Carol joked, Daryl shook himself out of his thought.

"Should get her band aids for her fingers till they callous over, I'll come check on how you do tomorrow." He told her ruffling her hair and walking away, Carol followed him since Sophia obviously had no intention of leaving her target.

"What made you change your mind about when to give her the bow?" She asked trying to keep stride with him.

"Carl told her she couldn't learn how to use a gun because she was a girl, she came bellerin to me since you were shootin, it was the only thing I could think of to make her shut up." He said callously, his tone was seemingly lost on her though, since she just smiled.

"I didn't know, I'm glad you were there for her." She told him, he shook his head, she listened like a rock.

"You best make sure she knows where this stands, I ain't her daddy, not even her kin, don't mistake my bein nice for me carin." He told her, she nodded and he sauntered off. He ended up back at his little camp away from the group he lashed out at a tree in frustration scraping his knuckles.

He couldn't let her keep doing this, they shouldn't rely on him, he couldn't take care of them, he couldn't always protect them, hell he couldn't even keep track of his own brother. He'd never had much, and losing his brother had broken any dream he had of being able to keep anyone safe, how could he handle losing them.

He spent the next few days checking in on Sophia's progress as little as possible and seeing Carol even less. He took up his time helping Rick and Hershel with the work around the farm, but like every time he tried to distance himself from those two something changed, and one of them needed him. He even skipped Sophia's little birthday thing, Carol had apparently gotten her a paint set somehow.

"Daryl?" This time it was Carol calling out his name, he looked over to her from the squirrel he was gutting.

"What is it now woman?" He asked sticking his knife into the stump, she sat down next to him looking worried.

"Glen just told the group that the barn was full of walkers, which you really should have been there for, avoiding us is really limiting your information, they're trying to decide what to do about it, you need to talk to Rick, we can't live next to a barn full of those things." Carol told him, he looked at her sceptically.

"Ain't nobody listening to anything I have to say." Daryl told her, she almost laughed shaking her head.

"Rick listens to you Daryl weather you see it or not this group needs you, stop pulling away." She said seriously getting to her feet, he just shook his head in total disbelief.

"I just thought you should know." She told him walking away, he watched her go in frustration, how did she always say the thing he always wanted to hear in the most frustrating way. He got up putting his knife back in it's sheath. He picked up his crossbow one of the only weapons allowed on the farm, and went to find Rick.

"Hey kid." He said ruffling Sophia's hair as he walked by, she smiled up at him from oiling her bow.

"Are you here to see me shoot, cause I'm really good now, I almost never miss?" She asked excitedly, he smiled guiltily, neglecting her stung when he had to face her.

"Gotta talk to Rick first, come back though and we'll set up a moving target." He told her, she smiled eagerly and he turned to find Rick, so he could figure out what was going on. He found him talking with Hershel, he was actually trying to negotiate so they could stay on the farm with these walkers.

It didn't sit well with Daryl, but if that's what he wanted he wasn't gonna press, hell maybe he'd take Sophia and do a little target practice, just to make sure she could handle it if the barn ever gave out.

"You really okay with this?" Daryl asked Rick when he came out of the house, the argument hadn't gone well, but he looked like he wasn't done fighting to stay.

"Lori's pregnant, I, we can't leave." Rick told him, Daryl nodded he knew he'd have a reason, but he hadn't expected that.

"Ain't gonna be easy convincin Shane to leave those geeks alone, we all know it ain't safe." Daryl told him, Rick nodded, Daryl was right, but what choice did he have, he'd just have to convince Hershel slowly, that these weren't people.

"I know, we'll clear it out eventually, but everyone's gonna have to be patient, Hershel's family is in there, he needs time to figure out that they're dead." Rick told him, Daryl nodded, it was a decent plan, the barn was safe for the most part, they had time to do this smart.

"You want us to go on a run, pick up some shit just in case we end up runnin, don't like the idea of leavin here in a hurry, too scattered, too comfortable." Daryl told him, Rick hadn't even thought about that, he was so sure that they'd get to stay in this beautiful safe haven he'd never stopped to think about what they'd do if the farm got over run, he looked over at the group all spread out with there stuff strewn about, they'd lose everything if a herd came through.

"It's a good idea, take Glenn and T-dog try and keep it low profile, I don't want Shane to know, or people thinking we have to go, but if we do, we should be prepared, try and salvage medical stuff first, if Lori has to have this baby without Hershel, we'll need supplies." Rick told him, he didn't want to think of them leaving and he was glad Daryl was there to remind him that in this world nothing was for sure. Shane had yelled something similar at him at some point, but it hadn't sunk in he'd just seen it as Shane being angry and paranoid.

"We'll leave in a few hours, tell the camp we need more seed, and antibiotics." Daryl told him, Rick clapped his hand on Daryl's shoulder.

"Thank you." Rick said all earnest and grateful looking, Daryl shrugged awkwardly.

"Ain't no reason to get all cuddly over it, it's a supply run, ain't like I'm goin off to save your fuckin puppy." He jibbed walking away, he went to find Sophia so he could rig up a target for her.

He found her in the RV she was sitting with her momma who looked like she might be crying, he paused in the door of the RV not sure what to do with himself, he'd never seen her cry, he almost left.

"Daryl?" Carol asked with a shaky sob looking around Sophia, he froze like prey in the eyes of a predator.

"Hey." He managed, he felt painfully out of place, Sophia ran over to him pulling him towards the back.

"Sorry, I'm sure I look like a mess, it was just a bad dream, what did Rick say?" Carol asked, Daryl was glad of the distraction from her tear stained alabaster skin that made him want to comfort her even though he didn't even know how to start.

"Lori's pregnant so we're gonna try and convince Hershel to let us stay, a couple of us are goin for a run just to be sure." He told her, she smiled, not a real smile, one of those obligatory smiles reserved for when you don't want to break down in front of someone.

"That's good." She said the sadness in her voice breaking his heart for some reason, infuriating woman.

"Go get me some rope kid." Daryl told Sophia, she nodded going eagerly to do as she was told, he sat down awkwardly next to Carol.

"Tell me about your stupid dream woman." Daryl told her, she looked over at him a little shocked that he would ask, she'd never doubted that he cared, he was just so uncomfortable showing it to anyone.

"I, I dreamed about the day's I was waiting for you to bring Sophia back to me, about you two never coming back alive, about the two of you coming back as walkers and ripping me apart, with Ed just watching, laughing." She told him, he looked like he wanted to say something, but instead he wrapped his arm around her thin shoulders pulling her close.

"Promise, I'll keep her safe, no matter what." He told her as gently as he could manage, she could feel the tears welling up again, but not out of pain or fear, she was grateful.

"Just keep you safe too, we need you." She told him, he looked down at her baffled by her soft words, she looked so fragile in his dirt covered arms, clean and pure, so vividly contrasted against his rough tainted exterior, but he knew they'd felt so much of the same pain in there lives.

"Promise." He told her kissing the top of her head softly, she smelled sweet like honey and lavender, he never wanted let her go, but he could hear Sophia coming back so he dropped his arm and got to his feet.


	4. Chapter 4

"Daryl, I got the rope, are we gonna set up the moving target?" She asked excitedly, he looked back at Carol, she smiled her sweet, innocent, beaten down smile. He flashed her his weak half smile like it was hard for him to smile at all.

"Ya, come on kid." He said turning and leaving her to her thoughts, she sat there for a long moment just basking in the memory of his touch before she got up to set about the chores she'd interrupted for a nap.

Daryl helped her rig up a log to a branch so it would swing around in the wind, he put it next to his camp site. There weren't many trees out of the way enough by the RV, and he didn't want her off on her own, he had a promise to keep.

He went with Glenn and T-dog to the town on there run, they had a little trouble near the high school, lot's of walkers, but most of the herd had moved on if it had been like when Shane had been here, they wouldn't have even risked it.

Something didn't feel right though, he felt like he was being watched, not by the dead or anything, but hell he'd admit it. It felt like Merle was watching him, the way there were no signs he was being watched except that feeling in his gut. Like when you had a some creepy picture hanging in your room, even when it's too dark to see it, you know it's staring.

He didn't mention it though, just watched over the group as they went about getting anything they would need. If it was Merle he'd show himself eventually, if not he'd be ready for that too. They were about to head back, which made him a little twitchy, if the person watching them wasn't Merle he didn't want to lead them to the camp.

He sucked it up though, he couldn't very well start yelling for them to show themselves, so he'd see how it played out, tell Rick about it when he got back. He took them the long way even still, Rick was waiting for them when they pulled in.

"How'd it go?" Rick asked, T-dog and Glenn smiled happily showing him what they'd salvaged, but he could tell Daryl wasn't happy, so he fell back to where Daryl was standing and watching the tree line.

"What is it?" Rick asked, Daryl pulled his eyes from the horizon looking over at Ricks look of concern.

"Ain't sure, just feeling like I'm bein watched." Daryl told him, Rick clapped his hand on Daryl's shoulder.

"I'll make sure everyone's got an eye out just in case." Rick told him, Daryl nodded satisfied by Ricks words. He went out to his little camp, Carol and Sophia were out there. Sophia was shooting her bow at the moving target sounding frustrated.

"Gotta lead the target kid." Daryl told her, she looked back over at him with a big grin, she took one last shot with his advice hitting the target a little off, but pretty much what she wanted. She giggled slinging her bow over her shoulder with her quiver running over and hugging him.

"I did it!" She giggled, he looked down at her awkwardly patting her back, she ran off again to collect her arrows.

"Wish she'd stop doin that every time anything happens." Daryl said to no one in particular, Carol giggled trying to cover her face from him. He tossed the bag of jerky he'd brought to share with them right at her, which only made her laugh harder.

"Shut up woman." He said halfheartedly, still he was smiling at them, but he went still looking off into the woods, he'd seen something move. He pulled his crossbow off his shoulder aiming it in the direction he'd seen it.

"Is that any way to greet you're sister Dixon?" A boisterous female voice called out from the green, he lowered his bow slightly looking out into the woods to find the woman who'd spoke, he slung his bow when he saw her.

"Kiry fucking Dixon, you ain't nobody's wife no more." Daryl called out walking out into the woods without a second thought, she ran at him and he opened his arms to her, and they met in a tackle of a hug, and she kissed him on the cheek.

"Never thought I'd see you again." She said as he held her tight, Carol's laughter had stopped dead, and now she didn't know what to think, he was so affectionate with the small brunette it made her long to be that close to him.

"Now stop that shit, you know nothin gonna kill a Dixon but a Dixon." Daryl told her still holding on to her, she pulled away a little.

"Where's my ex Merle that lay about?" She asked, Daryl dropped his arms looking away, Kiry frowned knowing what that kind of look meant.

"No, no way, he got bit, he was a dick, but he was tough as nails?" She asked the air leaving her lungs making her words a harsh whisper, Carol was trapped watching this interaction.

"No, we got separated, I ain't seen him since, but I know he had to cut his own hand off to make it." Daryl told her, she chuckled coldly.

"Ya, that's Merle, but come on he ain't dead, only thing that can kill Merle is Merle, remember so stop given me that look like you already buried him. Dixon's survive." She told him clutching his hand in hers.

"Ya." Daryl said with a half smile, Carol could finally see her well enough to look her over, she had a knife tucked into any space that would hold one, and one handgun in a holster at her side.

"Well ya gonna introduce me to you're girl or what?" Kiry asked, Carol didn't even catch her meaning, but Daryl smiled at the thought turning to introduce her.

"Kiry meet Carol and Sophia Peletier, this is Kiry Dixon my little sister in law." Kiry smiled with a cocky little wave, she was so different from the Dixon brothers, so happy, she still had that hard edge to her the way the other two did, that lethality that let you know not to fuck with her, but there was something soft about her too.

"It's nice to meet you." Carol said politely, the girl seemed nice enough, and she was glad she was related to Daryl, she was far too beautiful to compete with. She had the same dark hair as those two but her blue eyes had a hint of green turning them a brilliant shade of bright aqua blue.

"You too." She said, Carol could hear a hint of Daryl's familiar lilt in her voice, Sophia, who had been staring in shock from near her target. Now she hurried over to greet this new woman.

"You're really Daryl's sister?" She asked clutching at her bow string, Kiry looked over at the bow, she recognized the work.

"Not by blood, but ya, that's me, Daryl make that?" She asked pointing to the bow, Sophia nodded proudly pulling it off her shoulder showing it to Kiry.

"Alway's did do good work brother, you teachin her how to use it?" Kiry asked turning back to her brother, he rolled his eyes at her.

"He says I need more practice, but he put up that moving target for me, and I'm getting better." She answered for him, Kiry smiled at Sophia and looked back over at her brother.

"Ain't you turnin in to a hell of a guy, all it took was the end a the God damn world." She jibed, he glared with no real malice.

"Shut up kid." He barked, she flashed him a wicked smile.

"Make me Darlena." She teased rushing forward to tackle him, she'd missed him, hell she'd missed being with people at all. He sidestepped her, but she grabbed the back of his vest and swung up onto his back, and they were wrestling, actually wrestling around, and he was smiling. He looked so sweet, so innocent like that if Carol hadn't seen him kill time and time again, she would have guessed he was a kid.

"You infuriating girl, get off me!" He yelled at her, not really mad, Carol and Sophia were laughing hysterically, Sophia ran over to them jumping onto the pile trying to join in the fun so when it happened only Carol noticed.

Shane was rushing towards them holding his gun out at them he seemed to think that Kiry was actually attacking Daryl. Carol didn't know what to do, she couldn't stop him, so she did the only thing she knew to do.

"Daryl!"She called out just as the shot rang out, Daryl pulled Sophia under him to the ground, and Kiry leaped up with a flick of her wrists Shane's gun was gone and Kiry was charging at him in fast flicking motions spun herself around kicking him in the chest and landing with her knee on his throat.

"Move and I'll slit your throat pretty boy!" She growled, by now Rick and the others were rushing up to see what was going on.

"Fuckin a Shane, that's my baby sister, I just found out she ain't dead and you wanna shoot her, for fuck sake you could a hit Sophia!" Daryl yelled, and everyone was stunned into silence, for one no one even knew Daryl had a sister, but then no one knew much about him at all, but the fact that she was now pinning Shane to the ground was also a little crazy since he was the most skilled of the group excluding Daryl, and the biggest, and there was no way she weighed more then 100 pounds.

"I'm sure there's an explanation for this, but he can't give it with her kneeling on his throat." Rick said calmly, Kiry looked back over at Daryl as if asking him what she should do, he had Sophia hiding behind him clutching his vest, he nodded for her to come over to him. Kiry nodded hopping off Shane and snatching her blades in one smooth motion and backing up towards Daryl.

"We didn't even know Daryl had a sister." Dale said in his calm rational way, Kiry eyed him for a moment then decided he was no threat.

"Well sister in law if you wanna get technical, name's Kiry, and I ain't fond a bein shot at." She told him, he smiled nodding his agreement.

"None of us are." He mumbled looking pointedly at Shane who was coughing, his airway finally clear.

"She was attacking Daryl, I didn't have a lot of time to question the situation." Shane choked out when his lungs started cooperating.

"Pft, whatever, cause Carol would be just watching while her daughter and her man tried to fend off an intruder, without pulling a weapon, good lord, we were just rough housin, what kinda half wit are ya pretty boy?" Kiry said rolling her eyes like he was a total idiot, Carol smiled this girl didn't exactly know her but it was nice that someone didn't think she'd just sit and watch while her family was in danger, though she didn't know why Kiry had referred to him as her man.

"She's got a point, ain't you a cop, should be a little more observant." Daryl said trying not to laugh at the look on Shane's face, Shane looked like he might get up and fight for his pride, but Rick beat him to it.

"It was an honest, if not hasty mistake, we didn't know who she was." Rick placated, and in that moment Carol was glad of his desire to make everything go smoothly.

"We still don't really, I mean no offense, but Merle was his brother and he wasn't exactly safe to be around, and she married him what if his sister's just like him?" Andrea pointed out, some of the members of the group nodded, but Carol was appalled, Merle had threatened everyone's safety more then once, but only when he was high, and he'd saved them once or twice two, the least you could do was give her a chance.

"What the hell did you just say about my Merle bitch?" Kiry said fuming, she looked ready to launch herself at Andrea, they hadn't stayed together, but he was still her man.

"Now let's not judge her based on the actions of a man who spent most of his time on some kind of drug." Dale put in, he had a point, but Kiry looked ready to defend his honor to the end, and Daryl didn't know what to do, he wanted to defend Merle, but he knew they were right, so Carol did something she never did.

"She was nothing but nice until you shot at her, have we really reached the point where we judge people on things they had nothing to do with, not to mention Merle may not have been perfect, but he was there family and I don't think being rude about him in front of them is right, they loved him and we have no right to disrespect that." Carol said trying to sound more confidant then she felt, but her voice was weak and mousy like always.

"At least your girl's got half a brain." Kiry mumbled, Daryl nudged her shaking his head.

"She aint my girl, so stop that shit." Daryl mumbled, Kiry looked over at him raising an eyebrow in disbelief.

"She's right, this isn't something to be discussed here, I hope you understand our hesitation, we need to be overly cautious to survive out here." Rick said, Kiry looked back over at him her eyebrow still cocked.

"Ya, whatever, y'all go have your little council, but I ain't leavin without Daryl, keep that in mind." Kiry told them flopping down on the stump Daryl used as a chair with her arms crossed.

"Understood, Daryl could you join us?" Rick asked, everyone filed back towards Hershel's house, Rick wanted his opinion since it was his farm, and even though they weren't on the best terms he'd mostly convinced him not to kick them out.

"I want to know everyone's opinion before we decide anything." Rick told them once they'd explained everything to Hershel, and he'd let them in so they could talk it over.

"Let me start, you kick my sister out, and you kick my ass out too, ain't gonna leave her." Daryl told them, that changed the dynamic a bit, despite what Daryl thought of himself the group knew he contributed a lot.

"Mom, I don't wanna leave Daryl." Sophia said looking worriedly up at her mother, Carol clutched at her cross necklace.

"I know honey, I can't believe we're even having this talk, I mean would we be trying to figure out if she was worth keeping around if she were your sister Rick, or yours Shane, we didn't have to talk it over when your sister showed up Andrea. She can obviously be of use if she can take you down Shane, so what's the problem, it's not like she's going to kill someone in there sleep, if she wanted to kill us she could have already done it, she came to us, we didn't find her." Carol spoke up for the second time that day, Daryl smiled at her gratefully, she was doing this for him and Sophia after all, trying to be strong for them.

"She's right, Kiry, was it? She seems nice enough despite her reaction to being threatened, we can't just tell her to scram because she was afraid Shane might hurt her, he was after all trying to kill her, and I'm not sure I would have blamed her if she'd shot back, but she didn't kill him." Dale put in always the voice of reason in this group.

"I guess it's hard to blame her, Shane's actions were to protect the group, and Kiry's actions were to protect herself and her brother. We should give her a chance." Rick told them, Shane shook his head.

"She threw that knife like a pro, took my gun out with barely a thought, and you want me to sleep with her in the camp, it's not like she's helpless or innocent." Shane snipped, Daryl glared at him, he didn't usually disagree with Shane, but he was a dick.

"You're just pissed you got beat on by a girl, I mean good lord ya gonna hold it against her cause she's good enough to survive out there, ain't like she'd be here if she was helpless." Daryl told them, everyone nodded a little except Lori, and Shane.

"You're right, if we'd met her under any other circumstances we wouldn't have even questioned this, Hershel, I know you haven't decided weather or not to let us stay, but I would really appreciate your opinion on this." Rick turned to Hershel, it was obvious he wanted to make the old man happy in an attempt to get him to let them stay.

"As long as she follows the rules on my farm and stays away from the barn, I don't care either way." Hershel told them honestly Rick nodded looking at the rest of the group, only Shane seemed to disagree.

"I'm sorry Daryl we trust you to have our backs we should trust you to vouch for your sister, of coarse she can stay, just try to keep hostility to a minimum." Rick told him, Daryl rolled his eyes shaking his head he pushed off the wall going to find Kiry.

He was happy they didn't have to leave, he liked being part of this group, and with Carol and Sophia he felt like he might actually belong here, but it was bull shit that they even thought about making her leave.

"They don't like me do they?" Kiry asked throwing her knives at Sophia's target as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Shane sure as shit doesn't but the rest got no fucking clue what to think a you." Daryl told her, she huffed over to the target pulling out two dozen or so knives stuffing them back into there respective hiding places.

"I suck at this whole group thing, I should just leave, I don't wanna ruin what you got here big brother, hell you got a family, and they look like they might actually care about you, hell of a step up, maybe go I'll find Merle." Kiry told him looking back at the woods, Daryl smacked her on the arm lightly.

"Don't even fuckin say that sis, if I'd known you were still makin it I would a never left, Merle said he saw ya go down after we found you." Daryl told her, she laughed shaking her head.

"Merle was high as shit when this all went down, I got pinned, that don't mean I was down, I've been tryin to find y'all since, I'm just glad you're okay." Kiry told him, he put his arm around her shoulders wishing he could have protected her, he and Merle had always protected her from well everything, she was the one that kept them grounded, made life better for them.

Carol Saw them standing together, it was the first time she'd seen him look comfortable with anyone, he was in his element with hunting and tracking, but whenever he knew someone was around he went stiff like he didn't know what to do with himself, but he wasn't like that with her. He was actually smiling sweetly down at her, looking loving and protective.

She wished he could be like that with her and Sophia, she knew it was probably because she knew everything about him, he wasn't scared she'd turn away from him if he acted like himself. She envied them in that moment for having each other. Sophia came running up after her with her bow eager to see Daryl again.

"We brought you two some food, I thought you might be hungry." Carol said holding up a tray with two bowls of leftover stew and bottles of water, Kiry and Daryl looked over at her. Daryl dropped his arm grabbing at the strap of his crossbow, Kiry smiled at Carol, then looked over at Daryl obviously aware of his change in demeanor.

"She cooks too, hell Carol you're a fuckin catch." Kiry told her taking her bowl eagerly, it was probably the first home cooked meal she'd had since this all started.

"Um, thanks." Carol said blushing and looking at her feet, Sophia was fidgeting behind her with her bow waiting for them to give her permission to go.

"Hey, kid you wanna go a round with that target you got after I eat?" Kiry asked through a mouth full of food, Daryl rolled his eyes, Kiry was way too competitive but he'd give it to her, when she put her mind to it she was damn good at most things athletic.

"Really, yes I'll, I mean is that okay mamma?" Sophia stopped herself turning to ask permission.

"Of coarse sweetheart, I'll stay here with Daryl till you two are done?" Carol told her, with a rare genuine smile. Kiry scarfed her stew down and handed the bowl to Carol running off with Sophia. Carol took her bottle of water and rinsed out the dish while Daryl watched Kiry and Sophia set up to start competing, knife vs. bow.

"She aint gonna be the best influence, me and Merle kinda corrupted her. Known her forever." Daryl told Carol, she just laughed setting the bowl down so she could talk to Daryl.

"Well then she can't be that bad, Merle wasn't so bad, and I know what a really good person you are." She told him, no sarcasm in her voice, no mocking tone, he'd never had anyone not related to him ever be this consistently nice to him.

"How do you do that?" He asked out of the blue, Carol looked up at him totally confused, she had no idea what he was asking.

"Do what?" She asked him, he blinked like he hadn't realized he'd said it out loud, he looked over at Sophia and Kiry trying not to look at her.

"No matter how shitty everything gets you always got somethin nice to say." He mumbled still not looking at her, she shrugged trying to hide her blush, she was hardly ever complimented and to hear him say it was even better.

"I just don't see the point in wallowing it doesn't help anyone, and everyone needs to be appreciated once in a while." Carol told him, they sat in silence for a long moment watching Sophia get tips on speed shooting from Kiry.

"So what was she like before all this?" Carol asked watching Kiry, that wasn't really what she wanted to know, but she knew he'd pull away if she asked him about his life.

"She's only been my sister in law since a very drunk night in Vegas, but after our mom died Dad took up drinking all night and waking up with strangers in his bed. It kept him busy at least, one of his hussies had a kid she brought over or our pa'd take us there, lived down the road, we took to hangen out in the graveyard together.

Dad couldn't give a shit, so it fell to me and Merle to look after her when they were all high, or off fuckin, I was seven and Merle had just turned ten, we were shit at taking care of ourselves, much less her, but somehow she turned out to be the sweetest person I ever met, she just has a way of makin ya smile just because she's happy." Daryl told her, she'd never heard him be so open about anything. He obviously cared deeply for her.

"It sounds like you two did a lot for her." Carol said plainly, he shrugged.

"We did what we could, Merle took the worst of it." Daryl told her absently, it was almost like sitting there watching her he'd actually let himself relax.

"How so?" Carol asked, he looked over at her shaking himself slightly.

"Just did." He said turning as he saw Shane approaching them, Carol turned to see what had made him pull away, Shane just walked by them towards Kiry and Sophia, Daryl followed him with a glare, and Carol followed Daryl rolling her eyes.

"Hey, it occurred to me that I might owe you an apology." Shane managed to spit out through clenched teeth, Rick had obviously put him up to this.

"Why, I kicked your ass?" Kiry answered rolling her eyes, Shane scowled trying to keep his cool, Carol could see the two Dixon's just daring him to start something.

"Ya well, I'm still sorry, to all of you." He ground out turning to leave, he looked about ready to blow, Carol didn't know what he'd do now, but she wanted to be far away from it.

"I'm worried he's gonna do something stupid." Carol told Daryl, he watched Shane leave, he nodded.

"Ya, ain't my problem as long he stays away from me and mine." Daryl told her going to help Sophia since Kiry was whooping her. About an hour later Shane was handing out guns.


	5. Chapter 5

"What about you, you gonna protect what's yours?" Shane asked handing him a shot gun Daryl didn't know what was going on but he took the gun anyway. He watched Shane handed out guns and started talking about clearing out the barn.

Everyone was fighting about what they should do when Daryl saw someone walking from the woods it looked like they had walkers with them. Kiry was watching all of them not really sure what they were talking about, but when she put together that the barn was full of walkers she was looking to Daryl to figure out what they would do.

"Who the fuck is that?" Daryl asked, but he knew the only ones missing were Rick, Hershel, and that kid. Shane looked over to them and ran towards them, they were headed for the barn. Daryl stopped finding Carol trying to keep Sophia away from the display.

"What's going on?" Carol asked holding Sophia, Daryl shook his head looking over at the scene unfolding behind him.

"Figure ol' Shane finally popped, looks to be pokin at the barn, should take Sophia back to the RV." Daryl told her, but then shots rang out behind him and any thought of calmly shooing them to safety was lost, Daryl ran over there with Carol, Kiry was already watching the display in shock at what ever was going on. Shane ran over towards the barn while Daryl aimed his gun at the barn not sure what to do.

Rick was yelling for someone to take the walker off his hands so he could stop Shane, but Hershel looked devastated, and everyone else was too shocked by what was going on to even listen to his yelling. No one hesitated though when those doors opened, shots rang out and Kiry's knives whizzed past him. Even Sophia shot off a few arrows, killing one or two.

Beth ran up sobbing pushing the body of a walker off her mother's corpse, but when she rolled her over, she wasn't dead, the walker grabbed at her, her own mother trying to kill her. She screamed and everyone ran up to pull her away from it.

T-dog started stomping it's head in, but it had Glenn by the shoulders, so he stepped back letting Andrea swing the pickaxe through her head. Everyone scattered, or stared, Shane went after Hershel and his people with Rick, Kiry started collecting her knives and double tapping. Sophia helped, Carol went over to Daryl looking pale.

"All those people, God what if they'd over run us, there were so many, and I couldn't do anything, I didn't have a gun, and even if I had, I can hardly shoot, Daryl I know you'll protect us, but oh God, I couldn't do anything, I have to be able to protect my baby." Carol sobbed, Daryl put one tired arm around her shoulder, he knew it must feel awful to be helpless like that, but there guns were so heavy, and they didn't have the ammo to train them right.

"You wanna defend what's yours we ought a get you a bow like your girl there, or see what you can do with a knife, like Kiry, somethin lighter then those pistols, with ammo you can't waist. We'll figure out somethin, I ain't gonna let ya be helpless. You just tell me what ya need, we'll do it, I don't think we got long in this place, not after this." Daryl told her taking comfort in having her in his arms, he'd known they were in there, but seeing that fuck Shane put his family in danger, he'd admit it had him scared.

"Thank you Daryl, so much, I don't wanna be helpless anymore, I, I think I could use a bow, guns hurt my hands, I'm weak, I know it." She started, Daryl with his gun shouldered touched her cheek gently with his free hand.

"Hey, don't talk like that girl, you're stronger then any a them, I'll make ya a bow, mean time Kiry can teach ya how to use a knife, hell girl, by the end a the week you'll be the strongest one we got." Daryl told her, she smiled leaning into his touch, he didn't know what to think about this beautiful woman in front of him, but he'd be damn sure she could handle herself. Then at least he'd know if she was standing there with him because she cared about him, or because she needed something from him, then he'd really know.

Carol turned away from him as Sophia turned to find her again, she went to her little girl, and Kiry came over to him with a skeptical look. He reached out ruffling her hair, she swatted his hand away.

"Thought she wasn't your girl?" Kiry said ripping a bit of cloth off one of the walkers to clean her knives.

"She ain't, doesn't mean I don't want her to be." Daryl mumbled, he didn't think she ever would be but he could admit it to Kiry, she made him feel, and he wanted that.

"Knew it, this place is fucked you know that right?" Kiry told him slipping her knives back to there hiding places, she had more knives then he could count on her.

"Ya, I know, that's why I need ya to teach Carol how to use a knife proper, ya up for that?" Daryl asked, she nodded going off to start what could be a very long task. Daryl went off to find some decent bow wood, he might as well get it done, and make some more arrows while he was at it.

The rest of the group helped bury the bodies, the day dragged on slow, with everyone afraid they'd get kicked off the farm. Daryl just worked, and he'd keep working until the second they got kicked off the farm. He found the wood, worked some sinew measured out his bow line for it collected more sticks for arrows, if they did have to go, he wanted to have all the things he'd need to make what she needed, and the wood here wasn't half bad.

They had a service for the folks from the barn, he stopped working just long enough to go, Carol and Sophia were with the Kiry, who was the only one he trusted them with at this point. Just before dark Lori came and found him looking all worried.

"Listen Beth's in some kinda catatonic shock we need Hershel." Lori told him He looked up from his work.

"Ya, so what?" he asked no sure why he should care about a girl he'd never even actually spoken to.

"So I need you to run into town real quick and bring him and rick back." Lori told him like it was the most obvious thing in the world, funny how she wouldn't deign to look at him when she didn't need anything from him.

"Ya, alright, I'll get Kiry, and head out." Daryl told her picking up his pile of stuff packing it into a duffel and tossing it in the RV so they wouldn't get left.

"How's it goin?" Daryl asked as he came up behind Kiry, Carol, and Sophia, they all turned with a smile for him he'd never seen so many people happy to see him.

"Pretty good actually, they're naturals, neither of them has the arm for it, but they'll get it in time, what about you brother?" Kiry asked, Sophia was playing with her knife, but he had Carol's full attention, the way she looked at him had his stomach in knots.

"Ah, Lori wants me to go fetch Rick, and the lot ya wanna tag along sis?" He asked, she nodded going around to collect her knives. She let Carol and Sophia each keep one just in case.

"What are we takin brother?" He nodded to the tan car, it was quiet, and had more room then his bike. She started off towards it, Sophia left to practice some more, and as Daryl went to follow, Carol grabbed his hand. He stopped turning back to her and looking down at the small soft hand in his, he squeezed it lightly.

"Please be careful, we need you, I need you to come back safe." She told him, he couldn't help but smile at her kind words.

"Damn girl no need to get a weepy, I'll be right back, nothin kills a Dixon but a Dixon." He told her still smiling, she reluctantly let go of his hand and he went off to the car. Carol went to Sophia to practice with her, at least with Sophia practicing all the time Carol wouldn't forget to do it.

"There good people, I'm glad you've been alright." Kiry said while the drove, Daryl nodded and that was all that got said the whole way there. Even with Kiry he wasn't much for talking, they pulled around to the bar to the sound of screams, they were doing something, but the herds were enough to distract them, Daryl and Kiry got out killing the walkers while Rick and his people got to the car.

"You got no idea how glad I am to see you two." Rick said as they started up there truck, Kiry ran back to the car, arrows and knives in hand and they whipped out of there after Rick.

"Did you see an extra body with them?" Kiry asked, Daryl scowled looking up at there truck trying to see if he could spot the fourth with them.

"Ya, Rick has a habit a pickin up strays." Daryl told, she laughed shaking her head at the irony of that.

"Right, picks up strays, but they wanted to toss me out?" Kiry pointed out, Daryl sighed setting it to cruise.

"Well he doesn't think it through very far, it usually doesn't end well." Daryl told Kiry, she sighed and settled in for the ride. When they got back the sun was coming up, Kiry took Sophia off to practice while Daryl went inside to talk about what they were doing with this kid.

"Are they gonna kill that kid?" Sophia asked they were alternating between practice with the bow, and the knives.

"Ain't none a my business kid, don't think your people are that cruel, but I've been wrong before." Kiry told her whipping her knife into the center of a knot on the swinging log, Sophia sighed looking over her shoulder at the house.

"If you and Daryl leave will you take me and my Mamma with you?" Sophia asked, Kiry stopped to think for a minute.

"I ain't apposed to it or nothin, and I know Daryl's got a shine on for your momma, but really that's up to her." Kiry told her picking up an apple from her bag and throwing it up in the air and pinning it to the tree with her knife.

"Can I try that?" Sophia asked, taking out her bow, she seemed to like that better then the knives. Kiry nodded tossing it up again a few times before she hit it.

"Do you think Daryl will ever tell momma that he likes her, I see how he looks at her, and he makes her happy, she was never happy like this before ever?" Sophia asked, Kiry laughed shaking her head.

"Daryl doesn't share well kid, if they're ever gonna figure it out we might need to help 'em along a bit, what do ya say?" Kiry asked, Sophia smiled hitting the apple dead center.

"Ya, I could do that." Sophia said with a smile, Carol came out to them and picked up her knife, and started practicing to keep her mind off the risks this kid posed.

"Are we gonna kill that kid Momma?" Sophia asked, Carol shook her head throwing her knife and turning to hug Sophia.

"No, once he feels better we're gonna let him go." Carol told her, she nodded glad that they weren't gonna kill some kid.

Daryl went straight to the RV and took out the bow stuff, he didn't care for the politics of all this, he just wanted to keep his people safe. Right now the best way he could do that was to arm Carol and show her how to protect herself. He sat down in the shade whittling the bow, he wanted to make sure it was perfect.

"Your girls are getting pretty good at this." Kiry told him a few hours later tossing him an apple shot full of holes.

"What's this?" He asked taking a bite out of it, no need to waist good food, she nodded back to where Sophia and Carol were practicing out by his tent, hell he could get more alone time in camp these days.

"Sophia did that with that bow you made her, she's a damn good shot, and Carol, she doesn't have the finesse but she gets it done every time." Kiry told him picking up a stick and working it with her favorite knife. She whittle twice as fast as him and just as well if not better.

"It's good, they need to be able to keep each other safe, can't always be there to protect them." Daryl said, Kiry sighed rolling her eyes at how dense he was.

"You know that girl has a yen for you brother." Kiry told him, he looked over at her with a look of disbelief.

"She ain't thinkin twice about me, ain't nobody ever has." Daryl countered, Kiry slapped him upside the head.

"You're thick as they come brother, just tell her you idiot, and see for yourself." Kiry told him they sat there together in silence for hours just working, till it was dark, Kiry brought the arrows with her towards the fire when Daryl heard Carol go up onto the RV to take watch.

Daryl looked over at the group wandering and chatting, Sophia was with Kiry, so Daryl got up to go see how Carol was doing. When he climbed up she had her over shirt off and she was rubbing her arm like it was sore.

"What's wrong?" He asked she looked up at him with a smile.

"My arm just hurts from throwing so much, I'm not used to it." she told him, he sat down across from her setting his crossbow down.

"Give it here." He told her, she held her arm out to him, he started at her hand massaging up to her shoulder, his calloused hands were amazingly gentle, he blushed uncomfortably as she moaned at his touch, he didn't stop until she opened her eyes. He pulled his hand back uncomfortably, she smirked at him trying to hold back a laugh.

"We should get back, get some food in ya." Daryl said looking away from her, she pouted her lips out at him.

"Pretty romantic, ya wanna screw around?" She joked, he laughed shaking his head.

"I'll go down first." He told her crouching down by the ladder.

"Even better." She laughed, he just kept shaking his head trying to pretend he wasn't so painfully tempted to just take her there.

"Stop it." He tried climbing down and holding his hand out to help her down, she took it happily hopping down landing only a few inches from him, she put her hand on his chest to steady herself looking up at him.

They stood there for a long moment hidden from the group by the RV, he reached up soothing her hair down gently. She leaned into his touch giving him a pout that begged him to kiss her. He leaned down wanting nothing more then to taste her, but then Shane came huffing around the RV and they practically leaped apart at the sound of his heavy boots.

"Lets get ya some food, should rest that arm, ain't gonna do ya no good knowin how to throw if ya can't lift your arm." He told her walking away, she stood there dumbfounded for a long moment trying to slow her heart rate.

She sighed clasping her necklace and adjusting her shirt uncomfortably she was flustered and flushed, but now she had to go back to the group and pretend she wasn't all hot and bothered by there almost kiss. Hell she should just go over there and kiss him then leave him to stew, she'd never had a guy make her feel this way.

"What happened Mamma?" Sophia asked when she found her on the other side of the RV, Carol jumped a little her hand flying to her knife.

"Nothin sweety, just a little cold out here, lets go sit by the fire." She told Sophia, Carol took her back towards the fire.

"Daryl, Mamma's cold, do you have a blanket?" Sophia asked as soon as she saw Daryl picking up some food. Daryl looked over at Carol who did have her arms wrapped around herself, but not from cold. Daryl slipped his jean jacket and vest off coming over and draping it over her shoulders, she leaned into him, but he turned away as quick as he'd come.

"Thanks." Carol said slipping the sleeves on over her arms, they were too long and still warm, had she really been cold the warmth of his jacket would have staved off the chill, and it smelled like him which always made her feel safe. She went and took a seat by the fire and much to her surprise Daryl came over and handed her a plate of food taking the seat across from her next to Kiry.

Not only was he being nice to her, but he was staying by the group, and being openly affectionate, she felt like she was in some kind of fucked up twilight zone, but it was so nice she didn't dare question it.

"Thanks." She said eating it quietly while Kiry and Sophia talked, Kiry looked older, but she acted so innocent, it was nice for Sophia to have that.

"How old are you anyhow?" Carol asked when she finally couldn't stave off curiosity any more, Daryl smiled, no one ever guessed her age.

"27, only three years younger then this asshole, and six younger then Merle, you?" Kiry asked, looking back over at Carol.

"38, I know I don't look it, but the gray, well lets just say Ed had a lot to do with it." Carol told them staring into the fire, Daryl was a little shocked, he'd thought she was older too.

"Hey momma can Kiry stay in the RV with us tonight?" Sophia asked, Carol looked over to Kiry to see if she wanted to and when she saw that Kiry looked genuinely excited she nodded.

"All right, but we only got the one bed just so ya know." Carol told her, Kiry laughed.

"I ain't even had that much most the time." Kiry told her honestly, Sophia and Kiry went off to get settled, and everyone else had mostly filed off to there respective tents leaving Daryl and Carol alone again. Carol scooted over towards Daryl awkwardly, she pulled his coat off to give it back to him.

"Keep it, I ain't cold, can give it back tomorrow, should get some sleep." Daryl told her getting up, she got to her feet at the same time meeting him in the middle again intentionally invading his space.

"Goodnight Daryl." She whispered leaning up on her toes kissing him softly, he froze like a deer in headlights under her soft sweet touch. She turned to leave him like that, but he grabbed her arm pulling her back kissing her roughly. She clung to him her hands tangled in his hair pulling him closer in a desperate kiss.

"Sweet dreams." She told him when they parted to breath, this time he let her go. He was completely stunned for over a minute, her taste on his lips. Eventually he shook himself back to reality and went off to his tent to work on her bow since he wouldn't be sleeping until his rock hard issue went away.


	6. Chapter 6

He still hadn't slept when the sun had come up so he was just going to bed when Rick left with Randel. Kiry took Sophia and Carol to practice, but Carol kept having to go back and forth between her chores.

When Daryl woke up Rick and Shane had brought the kid back and everyone was arguing about what to do with him again. The next Day Rick had him beating on the kid to find out about his group, Daryl wasn't fond of the idea, but it needed to get done and no one else was lining up to do it.

"You're boy there's got a gang, heavy artillery and they ain't lookin to make friends, they roll through here are boys are dead, and our women, they're, they're gonna wish they were." Daryl told them his eyes going to Carol as he said it, he wanted to protect her, but he knew she wouldn't approve of how he did it.

"What'd you do?" Carol asked when he met her gaze, he looked down at his split knuckles wishing he had something decent to tell her.

"We had a little chat." Daryl tried to soften it, but he saw the look in her eyes, the look of disappointment. Daryl grimaced walking away from the group.

"No one goes near this guy." He heard Rick tell the group, he shook his head, what did it matter, they'd either kill him or let him go, it wasn't his concern.

"Rick what are you gonna do?" There Lori was undermining everything Rick tried to do while still playing the dutiful wife.

"We have no choice he's a threat, we have to eliminate the threat." Rick said, Carol just left the group to follow Daryl.

"Did it hurt to punch the guy?" Carl asked as he came up to Daryl, he was sitting on a log wiping off his knuckles.

"I've been hurt worse, you too buddy." Daryl told him glad for the distraction from his own thoughts.

"Could you teach me how to shoot that?" Carl asked pointing at his crossbow, Daryl looked him over.

"Your arm ain't long enough." He told him simply, and he didn't have the time to make him a bow the way things were going.

"Ya it is." Carl tried, Daryl chuckled a dry humorless laugh he just waned this day to end.

"Stick to guns it takes less skill" Daryl heard Carol coming. "Where's your old man, why don't you go pester him?" He told him trying to get the kid to scamper off so he could talk to Carol, hopefully she wouldn't be mad. Carl turned and left in a bit of a huff, and Carol handed him a towel.

"Get what you wanted, approval, thanks, you let them bully you into beating up a kid, is that who you are now?" She asked, Daryl ignored her insult feeling he deserved it.

"He ain't no kid, do a lot worse then hit ya if ya gave him the chance." Daryl told her cleaning his knuckles happy not to have to keep wiping it on his shirt.

"That's not what this is about and you know it." She told him stepping into his space, it made him feel uncomfortable wishing she wasn't mad, he could still practically feel her lips on his.

"What do you want me to do, hu? I don't need this." Daryl said trying to pull away and protect him self.

"Don't pretend you don't care, you want your friendship back, that kiss back, every kind and smart thing you've ever said take it all back I don't care I've lost worse, but don't sit back here and tend to your bloody fists and pretend you don't care." She scolded him turning to walk away, Daryl looked down at his knuckle kicking himself inwardly. He wanted to say something, to tell her he was an idiot, that he was just trying to keep her safe, but the words never came.

Dale came around and tried to convince him to spare the kids life, normally he wouldn't have cared, but he already felt like an ass so he listened. Carol was out practicing trying to work out the anger welling up inside her at her own stupidity, she knew Daryl was just trying to keep them safe, but the look of shame in his eyes had made her want to make him see.

Now she just wanted to go to him, to cry about what they might do to this kid, to have him hold her. To kiss him again, it was stupid of her to think that it had mattered, she wasn't good enough for him anyway who was she kidding.

Sophia, Kiry and Carl were the only ones not invited to the little powwow of death so Kiry took them out to practice, it was really the only constructive thing she could bring to the table, Daryl was a way better tracker and hunter, so she taught them what she could. Sophia had better aim, but Carl's throw was more likely to go through a walkers head.

"They should kill that kid." Carl said, Kiry smacked him upside the head.

"I ain't teachin you this so you can kill folk, it's so you can protect your self, don't pretend you have any insight into what to do with mans life." Kiry scolded him, he scowled, the kid was so sure he had all the answers.

"He's a threat, we can't let him live." Carl told her she shook her head looking over at the house where they were probably coming to the same conclusion.

"No, he's only a threat if we let him be, doesn't matter if there's 30 men in his group or 3000, no one deserves to die for something they haven't done." Kiry said pointedly Carl didn't seem too hear her, but she was happy to see Sophia nodding along.

"You don't know, people put us in danger, we need to keep mom safe." Carl countered, Sophia looked up at her for the answer to that, Kiry shook her head at his bull headed ignorance, it reminded her of Merle.

"You poor ignorant child, do you think people have never put me and mine in danger, how many people do you think are left, there are easier, smarter ways to keep people safe without turning into a monster, don't be a coward." Kiry told him whipping her last knife at the target hitting it dead center without a look.

She shook her head at him turning and leaving him to stew so she could collect her knives. Sophia rushed after her, collecting her own ammo, once she was done Sophia stopped her grabbing the tail of her tight leather vest.

"I want to be strong like you and Daryl, I don't want to turn into a monster, how do I keep everyone safe while being strong like you?" She asked a painfully earnest look in her eyes. Kiry crouched down to look her in the eye.

"You do the right thing not the easy thing, you screw up, then you fix it, you do what you can, and never forget that just because the world is full of monsters doesn't mean you have to be one." She told her, Sophia nodded looking down at the knife in her hand.

"Have you screwed up before?" Sophia asked, Kiry laughed letting herself fall onto the ground to sit by the target with Sophia.

"More times then I can count, not the least of which is being in love with a man I don't think I can ever save." Kiry said with a sigh, she wrapped her arm around Sophia's shoulder.

"Who?" She asked leaning back with her like she was her big sister.

"Merle Dixon, the man's got the moral code of a rabid dog, and a raging addiction, but when he's with me, just me and him, no drugs no problems, he, he made me love him like I never imagined, and I'll be damned if I can't shake it even though we were never really together, I'm sure Daryl told you about Atlanta, they had just found me and I caught Merle popping x, we were fighting when the dead showed up, and even while I was blindly mad at him he threw himself between me and them. He tried to protect me, and when I got taken down, he tried to come back for me but there were too many. So they left, he thought I was dead, they both did." Kiry sighed heavily looking off into nothing like she could see it all happening.

"Daryl didn't talk about you." Sophia told Kiry, she shook herself out of her thoughts at her words.

"No he wouldn't, when Daryl hurts he turns it inward, he'd never tell anyone about the things that hurt him the most, not like Merle every feeling he has is an explosion, passionate and wild. The two of them could not be more different. I think I'm gonna go for a walk, tell Daryl once that meetings done." Kiry told her, they were loosing the light anyway, talking about Merle always had her wishing she could be alone for a while.

Sophia and Carl kept practicing until the meeting was done. Carol came out and got them, she took Sophia to the RV and told Carl he was supposed to go to his mother in the house. Kiry would have stayed gone all night if it weren't for the screaming.

She ran towards the noise and pulled up short when she saw the scene unfold before her, Dale was on the ground bleeding like mad. Andrea was screaming that he was in pain and for someone to do something. Rick was holding a gun looking down at Dale, but he didn't look like he could do it, so Daryl came up beside him and took Ricks gun.

"Sorry brother." Daryl said crouched beside him, none of the rest of them saw, but what he was about to do was killing him, those two words they meant a lot to the Dixon boys, and then he shot him, before Kiry could do anything it was over. Daryl got up and turned away while the group went to mourn Dale, Kiry caught him in a hug before he could disappear.

Daryl stood there numb for a long moment then hugged her back, he knew she could see how this had effected him when no one else would and he was grateful. After they stood there for a long time just trying to compose himself he smiled his weak little half smile down at her and turned to go to his camp.

When he got there Carol and Sophia were sitting there together while Carol tried to reassure Sophia about something she had no information on. Sophia heard him coming first, but when Carol saw him a look of relief washed over that nearly had her crying.

"What happened?" Carol asked getting up to meet him in the middle, Daryl looked down at Sophia wishing he could spare her the pain of yet another death.

"It was Dale, there was a walker, he didn't make it." Daryl told them, an involuntary sob escaped both there lips, and when Sophia threw herself at Daryl to cling to the comfort of his presence Carol couldn't help but do it too. Daryl froze awkwardly for a moment then wrapped his arms around them protectively.

He'd gotten more hug since he'd been here then he'd ever gotten form his real family, and not that he'd admit it, but he liked it. He liked the comfort they offered, and right now he needed it, he was so glad she wasn't still mad at him.

"Will you sleep in the RV with us tonight?" Sophia sobbed, Daryl pulled back a bit to silently ask Carol if that was okay, she smiled weakly.

"Ya kid I could do that." Daryl told her she smiled a bitter sweet expression that made her look older then she was. Sophia ran off to get everything ready, but Carol didn't move, she just stayed there in his arms looking at him.

"Are you okay?" She asked, he dropped his arms turning towards the tent to grab some of his things.

"I ain't no kid, I'm fine." Daryl told her, she sighed never quite sure when he'd be grateful for her concern or spurn her for it. She just shook her head and went after Sophia, by the time Carol got to the RV, Sophia had set up a little bed on the floor that looked too small for Daryl.

"Sweety I don't think Daryl will fit there." Carol told her, Sophia looked up from her work with a mischievous grin.

"Well that's good cause it's for me, Daryl can sleep in the bed with you Mamma, he never gets to have a comfy bed out in his tent." Sophia explained, Carol sighed raising her hands in surrender.

"Alright but then you get to tell him where he's sleeping missy." Carol told her changing into her skimpiest night clothes and getting into bed. Daryl came in almost a half an hour later to see Sophia curled up in his usual spot on the floor.

"You're in my spot kid." Daryl told her, she looked up at him with big innocent sad eyes that he recognized right away as a warning of manipulation to come.

"But you're supposed to share with Momma, cause out in your tent you don't have a nice bed, and I thought it would be nice for Mamma not to have to sleep alone when she's so sad, she said it was okay." Sophia told him, he raised a skeptical brow at her.

"Sure ya did kid." Daryl sighed going over to the bed it was stiflingly hot in here with all three of them, and Carol was dressed appropriately for the temperature in boy short panties, and a spaghetti strap tank, Daryl took his coat off and looked down at his jeans and sleeveless shirt. It was going to be a long night.

"Aren't you hot?" Carol asked when he finally crawled into bed fully dressed leaving his boots and socks on the floor by the bed.

"Guess so." He mumbled, fidgeting with the button on his shirt, it was brisk outside, but this little RV held in heat like it was made to travel the tundra.

"You can take your shirt off I promise I don't bite, you don't have to sleep here if it makes you uncomfortable either." She told him trying not to look at him and let him see her blushing red like an apple.

Daryl didn't want to go even though it did make him insanely uncomfortable to be laying so close to her while she was wearing so little, but he didn't want to take his shirt off either, he had too many scars to hide.

When he didn't move for a long time Carol had to roll over just to see what he was thinking, he was laying there looking at the ceiling frozen stiff fiddling with his top button, it was almost cute. Carol reached over covering his large calloused hands with her tiny silken one.

"What is it?" was all she asked, not wanting to say whats wrong since that usually made him clam up. He looked down at her hand and instead of answering he brought it to his lips kissing her knuckle, she closed her eyes when his lips touched her, moaning slightly.

"I've seen the scars if that's what your worried about, and I have my own." He dropped her hand, looking away. He'd known she'd seen them in the house, but he really didn't want to think about it, but before he could clam up and run she started unbuttoning his shirt slowly.

His breath caught in his lungs and he froze again under her touch, when she undid the last button she ran her hand down his chest lightly, just a ghost of a touch that sent shivers through his flushed body.

"Who did this to you she asked after she pushed his shirt open, and was now circling his largest scar on his chest with one finger. He swallowed hard trying to keep himself from bolting like a scared rabbit. He'd never been touched like this and God did it feel good, but he was terrified he'd fuck it up.

"Our dad." He said, scared honest he couldn't have thought up a lie or a harsh word to say to her if his life depended on it.

"Why?" she asked trailing her finger to a scar a bit lower on his abdomen, he was struggling to breath properly at this point.

"He drank, Merle took most of it, until he left, then it all fell on me." Daryl told her, she nodded laying her hand flat over his heart.

"Ed was always so careful not to hurt me in any way that someone could see, but I let him to protect Sophia, it was stupid, I should have just left, I wanted to, but I was scared he'd told me if I left he'd take Sophia away then everything happened. I heard you and Merle talking about robbing the camp, but for some reason I just didn't think you would, for some unexplainable reason you made me feel safe even before I knew your name; I'm glad you stayed." She told him, he almost choked on his own tongue when he heard her say that, he hadn't thought any of them had known, and for her to know that, the one person he wanted to never see that side of him, it had his heart wallowing in his gut.

"I wouldn't, I ain't like that." Daryl mumbled, Carol smiled kissing him on the cheek.

"I know, I've always known that, now get some sleep." She told him turning away from him, he pulled his shirt the rest of the way off setting it over his boots. He lay there for a long time debating weather it would be okay for him to hold her, but eventually he just fell asleep.

She woke up first snuggled onto his chest, Sophia was already up and out which made going back to sleep impossible, so she tried to escape the bed without waking him, but instead he woke up to her straddling him awkwardly.

"Should sleep in here more often." He said with a leer before his brain could catch up to his mouth, he wanted to smack himself the second he heard those words leave his mouth.

"You could if you wanted." Carol whispered looking down at his half naked form very seriously. He reached up soothing her hair back gently, she leaned down hoping he would kiss her again, but then the RV door swung open and Kiry stuck her head in.

"Hey... wow sorry." She said rushing out as soon as she saw them, Carol let her head fall on his chest in defeat.

"God I miss knocking." She groaned, he couldn't help but laugh wrapping his arms around her, just enjoying how close she was to him.

"Let's go eat." He whispered not really wanting her to move, but pretty sure she would notice his growing issue if she didn't. She sighed getting up off him to go get dressed, Daryl put his shirt back on and went to find something for them to eat. Kiry wasn't the only one to see him come out of the RV.

"Those look a lot like the clothes you wore yesterday, only wrinklier." Andrea said as she walked by, Daryl tried to sooth the creases in his jeans to no avail.

"Sorry brother, I didn't mean to spoil the fun." Kiry said offering him the plate she had been bringing them when she'd interrupted them.

"Shut up." Daryl growled with no real malice, Kiry laughed shaking her head at her oddly happy brother, she hadn't missed his shirtless-ness he must really trust her, he hated his scars all three of them had there own scars.

"Can I use your tent then if you sleeping with Carol now?" Kiry asked, Daryl looked over at where Carol was now laughing with Sophia while the group readied for a service for Dale, the two of them did what they could to forget the horrors of this world and it made him smile in a way Kiry had never witnessed before.

"Ya, why not." Daryl told her, she smiled too, it was good to see him happy, even if it was only for a moment.

The service for Dale was long and tearful, but Kiry hadn't known the man and what she noticed was that behind the rest of the group Daryl stood beside Carol with Sophia clinging to the both of them.

Afterwords they cleared out the walkers checked the fences and decided to release Randell. Hershel decided to let them move into the house, Kiry wasn't fond of the idea of living in the house, and Carol didn't like the idea of Daryl leaving the camp, but it was better for the group, so they would deal. "We'll take him out to Senoy, hour there hour back today, we may lose the light but we'll be half way home by then." Rick told him pointing it out on the map, Daryl looked it over then backed off.

"This whole pain in the ass'll be a distant memory good riddance." Daryl offered, he didn't really have much of an opinion on it.

"Carol's putting together some provisions for him enough to last a few days." Rick said as Shane came driving back it his little green car. Daryl didn't like the idea of leaving Carol and Sophia, but Kiry would look after them so he felt a bit better about it.

"That thing you did last night..." Rick started giving Daryl a grateful look that he couldn't express. Daryl closed his eyes against the memory.

"Ain't no reason you should do all the heavy liftin." Daryl told him not sure what else to say Rick nodded. Daryl wasn't much for sharing his feelings and certainly not with Rick.

"So you good with all this?" He asked holding up the map as Shane pulled the car to a stop a ways in front of them.

"I don't see you and I tradin hay makers on the side a the road, nobody'd win that fight. I'm a go take a piss." Daryl told him tossing the map back to him as Shane walked towards them he had no deep desire to deal with what they had going on.


	7. Chapter 7

Carol intercepted him on his retreat from Rick and Shane, and without a word veered him off away from the group so she could talk to him in private. His heart was pounding in his chest at the thought of being alone with her, fuck he was such a pansy.

"Stay safe out there, please." Carol said reaching out to him, he let her take his hand, he put it up to his lips kissing her knuckle.

"Promise." He told her, she nodded accepting his word he shifted uncomfortably for a moment and she let him wander back to the truck to get ready.

"Only got so many arrows." T-dog told him coming over and holding Dale's gun out to him while he loaded the truck. Daryl took it looking it over.

"This Dale's gun?" He asked checking to see how many bullets it still had to distract himself from that tight feeling in his chest at the thought of the man he'd put down, a good man that he hadn't taken the time to get to know.

"Ya." T-dog said uncomfortably, walking over to close the tailgate to try and keep his mind off Dale's death.

"Wish I knew where the hell mine is." Daryl said looking at the six shooter that didn't come close to how nice his gun was.

"Ready?" Rick asked coming up behind him to get in the truck, Daryl nodded to him.

"ya" Daryl said moving to grab his cross bow, he wasn't fond of the idea of sending this kid off, it was dangerous, but it was better then putting a bullet in his head.

"I'll get the package." T-dog told him turning towards the barn.

"Thanks." Rick called after him, Kiry was helping load things to the house, she didn't feel right about it though, so she loaded up Merle's bike and the other cars too, she went to put the bow stuff in the RV, but then she head the commotion so she tossed it in the closest vehicle, the truck and went to see what was happening.

The kid had escaped so Kiry offered to stay and get everyone in the house, she knew it would make Daryl worry less if she was with Carol and Sophia. They all filed into the house to wait for them to come back. Sophia and Kiry stood on the deck armed and waiting, with the other men, Carol stood with Sophia protectively.

Then they heard what they were all afraid of, a gun shot, it rang out through the night painfully loud, and all they could do was speculate. They all went back into the house afraid of what it might draw in.

"Rick and Shane ain't back?" Daryl asked as he lead Glenn in, the three women all sighed in relief at the sight of him and Sophia ran over to hold onto him.

"No." they told him, he looked around the room with a look of concern on his face.

"We heard a shot." Daryl said worriedly after he'd checked over his family to make sure the three of them were okay.

"Maybe they found Randel." Lori tried looking just as scared for her husband as Daryl sounded.

"We found him." Daryl poked a hole in that logic with his few simple words bringing back the looks of fear and worry.

"Is he back in the shed?" Maggie asked hopefully, Daryl grimaced he wished he had such a rosy answer for them.

"He's a walker." Daryl told them all, knowing this was going to be hard for them to swallow.

"You find the walker that bit him?" Hershal asked worried for the safety of his family, Daryl got that now more then he ever had.

"Weird thing is he wasn't bit." Glenn put in gauging the reaction of the group they all seemed a bit confused, but then he'd been a bit miffed himself.

"His neck was broke." Daryl filled in when he got a few confused looks.

"So he fought back" They tried, but Daryl wasn't buying it nothing about this was screaming escape attempt.

"Thing is Shane and Randle's tracks are right on top of each other, and Shane ain't not tracker so he didn't come up behind him, no they were together." Daryl told them, Lori gaped at his accusation.

"Would you please get back out there and find Rick and Shane and find out what on earth is going on?" Lori pleaded, Kiry sneered at her, the woman was probably the reason all this was happening and she had the gall to ask Daryl to risk his life to fix it.

"You got it?" Daryl said turning to leave again, Kiry rolled her eyes that boy was too good for his own health. They went outside and were greeted by the most horrifying sight he'd ever seen, a herd bigger then they'd ever seen. Kiry went back in grabbing Sophia and herding her around to grab supplies, she knew they couldn't stay, and everyone else was too busy looking for Carl.

The group headed to the vehicles to herd the walkers away from the farm, the barn lit up like a bomb fire so Kiry rushed out in front killing with her knives the ones that came anywhere near the house then collecting her knives and Sophia's arrows. She ran back as they all started gathering to leave handing Sophia her arrows.

Carol and Sophia ran in front of her, they were her only priority but she ran them to a corner, Carol handed Sophia to Kiry and ran the walkers the other way, Kiry rushed to the truck throwing Sophia and herself in the back while Sophia screamed for her mother.

Kiry looked around there was no way she could make it to Carol, she had run off towards the field with no weapon. Kiry's eyes welled up at her complete failure to protect Daryl's woman, Sophia's mom, and her own friend. They huddled together crying.

Daryl was sitting outside the farm watching it burn when he heard her scream, he knew exactly who it was too. He whipped his bike around speeding towards her, he saw her coming to the fence and he whipped his bike to a stop.

"Come on, ain't got all day!" Daryl called out as she scrambled onto the back of his bike, she wrapped herself around him desperately her heart racing. She'd thought she was going to die, and he'd saved her, she wept into the leather of his vest as they pulled through the morning fog past herds of walkers.

He veered towards the spot where Sophia had run from, where they'd left her supplies, as they got closer he saw that green car Shane had fixed up, he pulled around them to let them know he was there. Carol looked in the windows, but she didn't see Sophia or Kiry.

They heard the truck behind them, but she couldn't see who was in it, so when they saw Rick and stopped she frantically looked behind them, Rick shook Daryl's hand. Carol and Sophia ran to each other, and Kiry nodded to Daryl, and the weight of loss fell off him.

"Where'd you find everyone?" Rick asked after he'd gotten his own hug, Daryl shrugged.

"These guys tail lights zig zaggin all over the road, figured he had to be Asian drivin like that." Daryl joked so revealed everyone close to him had made it.

"Good one." Glenn laughed, they all looked around there eyes searching for the people they had lost.

"Where's the rest of us?" Daryl asked, and that's when the shadow fell over them, they all shared who they'd seen go down, and eventually it was decided they'd head east. Everyone got back in or on there respective vehicles, Carol road with Daryl, and Kiry and Sophia road with T-dog while Lori and Carl road with Rick, and Hershel and Beth moved to Glenn and Maggie's car.

Eventually one of them ran out of gas, it was getting late, so they decided to stay there the night and get gas in the morning. Rick hoisted the bad news about Shane and the infection. Kiry had known, she'd seen others die naturally, but the group got crazed about him lying.

Eventually they calmed down, and made a fire, Kiry was with Rick on this one, what good would it have done if he'd told them, none, it would only have made people panic about something they couldn't fix.

Kiry and Sophia laid out on the same sleeping bag after the discussion of leaving, the one she'd packed, and Daryl and Glenn got first watch while Daryl thought about what Carol meant by a man of honor.

"So you and the farmer's daughter, huh?" Daryl smirked when he saw Glenn staring, casually crossing his arms over his chest.

"Ya," Glenn smirked and nodded. The rest of the camp rested up after their long day. The group had literally experienced hell that day, and were exhausted from surviving.

"I told her I loved her," Glenn said, "On the way to the check-point. I told her that I loved her."

Daryl raised an eyebrow at him, that seemed pointless and telling him that was even less so.

"Ya love her?" he said skeptically, even after everything it was a hard idea to swallow. He'd never been around anyone in love, he'd watched it fall apart though, watched people who claimed to love something destroy it completely.

"Yeah." Glenn said with a little smile while his eyes drifted to Maggie's sleeping form, he had this look in his eyes, that look Kiry got sometimes when she watched Merle. Was that love, that look, did he look at Carol that way? No way Merle was right this shit was making him weak, that shit was a pipe dream.

"You really think somethin' like that still exists?" Daryl asked, even before it all went to shit the world hadn't been exactly convincing by the way of love. Kiry loved Merle so she said, but all it ever got her was hurt, Merle said his Mamma loved there Pa and look where that got her, maybe love was just a way to feel more pain.

"Of course it does." Glenn said totally convinced that what he had with that girl was the real deal. He'd see it eventually though how much he could hurt her because he said he loved her, Daryl didn't want to hurt like that, to hurt Carol like that.

"I dunno about that," Daryl rolled his eyes, "Sure you aren't just tryin' to get laid?" That was what Merle had always told him the word love was for, a sure way to get in a girls pants. He knew he felt something for Carol, but he wouldn't ever call it love even if the idea of getting laid was very appealing.

"No!" Glenn answered defensively, "I really love her. I do." The look of disgust in his eyes had Daryl convinced he really believed that. Whatever if he wanted to believe in that delusion then good for him, hell Daryl wouldn't even know the first thing about being in love, how would he even know if he was?

"How do you know?" Daryl asked, randomly pointing the crossbow off to the distance trying not to look too curios, he wanted to know how it felt to be loved. More then that though he wanted to know if he already felt that way so he could try and minimize the hurt it caused.

"I care so much about her," Glenn grinned, "And I know if I were to ever lose her, my whole world would end." Glen had a distant look in his eyes when he talked about that his eyes locked on Maggie. There was that fucking look again, that look that said he would do anything for her if she just asked.

"The world already ended," Daryl grunted trying not to think too hard on the way he'd felt when he'd thought he might not have gotten to Carol in time.

"If she died," Glenn spoke slowly, trying desperately to get through to Daryl, "I'd die. Do you get it now?" Glenn said seriously and Daryl got that, he wouldn't have before he the world ended, sure he'd take a bullet for Merle or Kiry, but it was different now with Carol and that scared him.

"That's love?" Daryl raised a surprised eyebrow, "Really?" He didn't buy that, that was all it took to be in love. There had to be more then just that as different as it felt with Carol he'd die for any of this group, but would he die with them?

"Yeah," Glenn chuckled, "Really. Geez, it's like you don't know what love is." He accused him playfully, but he was right, Daryl had no idea. Even if he did feel it he wouldn't know what to do with it.

"Aw, who needs all that mushy crap," Daryl grumbled trying not to look over his shoulder at Carol, or Sophia and his sister. He knew how much he had now, so much he'd never even dreamed he'd have before, but he didn't know that he'd call it love.

"Well, everyone." Glenn told him like it was something even he should know. Dary grumbled to himself how was he supposed to know this kind of shit?

"Not me. I've done just fine so far and I plan to keep it that way. I don't need some woman for me to let down." Daryl grumbled pointing his crossbow at nothing again he'd let down enough people without adding the pain of love into the mix.

"Not even Carol?" Glenn asked knowing he had him with that, the whole camp could see that they were dancing around there feelings.

"Watch it, short round!" Daryl pointed the crossbow at Glenn, "Don't talk about her." It was Glenn's turn to raise a surprised eyebrow. He'd known Daryl cared, but he'd had no idea how defensive he'd get about it

"Ookay…but from where I'm standing, you seem to really care about her." Glenn countered, Daryl knew he was right but he wouldn't ever say it to him. He wasn't weak and he sure as hell wasn't gonna show it if he had a weakness.

"Care about her?" Daryl let out a dry laugh, "I make sure she don't get her or her kids scrawny ass killed." Daryl ground out quietl just in case she was still awake, he would deny it to glen, but he didn't want to hurt her.

"And if she does?" Glen asked simply, Daryl's arm went slack the thought had bile raising in his throat.

"What?" Daryl said taken aback by the question why would he even say something so stupid, he'd never let anything happen to her or her little girl, not ever!

"If she does die, where would that leave you." Daryl aimed the crossbow again at Glen not at all pleased by the question. Saying shit like that was just bad luck and in bad fucking taste.

"Don't you talk about that!" Daryl barked a look of horror and fury swirling in his eyes. Glen swallowed hard he knew he was making his point, but Daryl might actually shoot him.

"Why? Because you're world would end?"Glenn asked using the words he'd used to describe how he felt about Maggie.

"Shut up, Fortune Cookie!" Daryl snarled tuning away from him back to watch trying to joke to hide the wrenching feeling in his gut.

"No," Glenn was on a roll, "Admit it." He tried to keep a straight face to keep from getting punched as much as he wanted to prove the point so the stubbonr redneck could be happy he didn't want to start a fight over it.

"I don't have to admit shit to you," Daryl snarled, "Don't you talk about her dyin' though." Daryl ordered him, he didn't want him to be right. If he loved her that meant he could lose her love, and he couldn't deal with that.

"Why?" Glen asked earnestly. Daryl lowered the crossbow, giving up knowing he wouldn't stop. He couldn't listen to him bitch all fucking night if he didn't talk, and hell it was the truth.

"Because," he sighed, "I don't want to think about that." He mumbled not looking over at Glen. Glen nodded, knowing he was right.

"Okay. But if I didn't know any better, I'd say you love her." Glenn pointed out, Daryl swung his crossbow around again his smart ass was starting to chafe.

"Do you want an arrow in the knee? Because I can arrange that." He said in a low growl. Glen held up his hands in surrender,

"I think I'll manage just fine without one," he grinned, "but Daryl, consider what I said." Glen told him he really wanted Daryl to figure this one out so him and Carol could be happy.

"Ain't gotta consider nothin." He snipped, but he did, he couldn't stop thinking about it. It kept running around in his head like a bad pop song he couldn't imagine how his whole world would be thrown on it's ear if he admitted he loved her.

"Please," Glen tried once again, "just think about it." Daryl lowered the crossbow and nodded he could give him that, he would be thinking about it anyway why not let the kid have this one?

"Between you and me…if she…if something…if we did lose her…" Daryl kicked at the dirt, "…shoot me. Please." Daryl mumbled Glen nodded solemnly. "If I lost her, what'd be the point in going on anyway?" Daryl offered, if he lost any one of them it would tear his heart out, but Carol, he needed that woman.

"That," Glen pointed, a huge smile on his face, "That right there! That's love!" Daryl rolled his eyes. Maybe it was love, he hated the thought that she had that kind of power over him, no it wasn't love.

"Whatever, Spring Roll…" Daryl jibed, knowing eventually the food thing would get to him, and it was more fun then actually insulting him since he didn't seem to care when he did.

"Stop calling me Asian food!" Glen barked trying to keep gloating, but Daryl would have none of that. He wouldn't let him know just how much it had gotten to him.

"Man up!" Daryl glanced over to where Carol slept, covered up with the raggedy old shirt he had given her to use as a blanket. She looked peaceful. _Maybe the kid is right…maybe I do love…no. That's just not…is it? I can't…No way! _Daryl tried to shake the thought from his head. Carol murmured something in her sleep, and began tossing and turning.

"God damn it," Daryl hissed, "I'll be right back." he shook his head at the infuriating woman before him, that beautiful infuriating woman.

"Got it," Glenn saluted him. Daryl stared at him as if he had purple polka dots all over his face before heading off to go check on her. Daryl crouched down next to her, and slowly shook her shoulder.


	8. Chapter 8

"Carol, Carol. Darlin' you're havin' a bad dream." It was the first time Daryl had called her 'darlin'' and the nickname he had given her worried him. Where the hell had that come from anyway?Carol awoke and stared up at Daryl, confused.

"Daryl…I was…I was having a nightmare." She told him, he nodded soothing her hair down comfortingly letting her lean against him trying not to look at Glen the little shit was smug enough as it was.

"I know," Daryl sat down next to her, "It's okay. Glen and I are keepin' watch. You're safe." He told her he put his arm around her and holding her with her head in the curve of his neck. Having her this close had his heart pounding as always, but it was worse now, knowing he loved her and not knowing if she felt the same, hell they'd only kissed the once.

"Will we ever really be safe?" Carol asked taking comfort in him and his warmth. He didn't know what to say to that, his head was swimming with confusion already, what if she really just wanted him around to keep her and her family safe, he still didn't know.

"With me and Kiry lookin' out for you two, you don't got to worry about nothin'," Daryl tried to sound reassuring. It didn't matter if she didn't love him too he'd keep his little family safe till his last breath.

"Thank you," Carole smiled up at him with that pure little smile that had his heart beating out a somba, while she brushed her hands down his arms.

"Sure thing, darlin'," there was that damn nickname again. Maybe she wouldn't notice, maybe he could pretend he didn't love her so she wouldn't turn away.

"You just go back to sleep," Daryl wiped some dirt from her cheek, "and I'll be right there, looking out for you. I always will be." He told her, she nodded but before he could get up she took his hand pulling him back down and kissing him on the cheek

"You're the first person who's ever told me that, that I actually believed, just don't forget to keep your self safe too." Carol told him looking very serious, he could feel Glen's eyes on them or he would have kissed her again.

"Promise." He told her getting up, Glen shot him a look of amusement, and Daryl glared. "Shut it." Was the only thing he said the rest of the watch and when he went to sleep he laid down right next to her, even in her sleep she moved towards him laying on his chest.

When they woke up they searched for gas, they found it, and they started moving, but they had no direction, and with the herd everywhere they ran in circles trying to stay alive all winter with next to no hope, constantly freezing. Not a second to stop and worry about what he had with Carol until they found the prison.

There were longing glances and light touches, but nothing that could confirm anything. Sophia on the other hand clung to him like a second shadow, he couldn't seem to shake her of the habit of calling him dad, after a while he didn't know if he wanted to. He loved that kid. Daryl had finished Carol's bow and the four of them had become the line of defense when they scavenged, silent and deadly, and that was exactly what they need to get into that prison.

Rick ordered them to positions as they went without question, Carol and Daryl to the tower while Rick ran to get the gate into the prison closed so they could clear the yard. It was fast work with all of them and once all the dead had been double tapped and piled to burn, they had a safe haven, a little piece of hope.

"We haven't had this much space since the farm." One of them called out, Daryl and Carol went back into the tower to go back down, but Carol stopped him just inside, it was the first time they'd been alone for two seconds all winter.

"We did it." She said happily her hand still holding his, they had tried to keep the touching to a minimum, since they couldn't do anything about it in the middle of the group and Daryl was painfully embarrassed by it.

"Ya we did." He said softly reaching up and touching her cheek, she leaned into his touch closing her eyes.

"Maybe now we'll actually get a moment to ourselves, to figure out what this is." She whispered, he looked like he might turn away so she took another step invading his space and freezing him there. She was looking up at him begging him to kiss her and now alone like this he had no excuse not to.

So he took her face in hand doing his best to kiss her gently, his lips were clumsy and desperate to please her, but she could care less, she was overwhelmed by his sweet salty taste and the feel of him so close to her, in that moment she was his, and he was hers and nothing else in the world mattered.

When they pulled away Daryl turned away from her to hide his blush and his rock hard issue from her, but she wouldn't let go of his hand.

"What, Daryl please, don't pull away again?" She whispered still only inches from him, he looked down at his feet trying to fight his desire to run for his life.

"I ain't any good at this, any of it." Daryl mumbled, Carol kissed his neck sweetly, he couldn't help but lean into her touch.

"Then let me lead, hell Daryl it ain't like you could embarrass your self any more then I will, Ed was the only man I was ever with and his idea of a date night was lettin me go to bed without gettin beat, you're so much more then I deserve and I know it, but don't tease me like this." She pleaded, her last words crushed him, he pulled her into his chest kissing her desperately trying to make her see how stupid it was for her to think that.

"Don't you ever let me hear you say that again, you are the most amazing woman I ever met darlin' and if anything I ain't good enough for you, I ain't, I ain't never been with a woman like this so ya just gotta give me a smack if I fuck it up, cause I will, but that ain't got nothin to do with anythin you done, now come on girl folks'll be wonderin if we got ate." Daryl told her leading her down the stairs never letting go of her hand, embarrassment be damned.

They got the fire set up and Sophia and Carol took the sleeping bag while Daryl and Kiry took watch. They walked the fence killing anything that wandered close enough to stab, Beth's song echoing in there heads.

"That woman's gonna be the death a me." Daryl managed after about an hour, Kiry had been waiting for it since they'd left the tower holding hands.

"Ya, what happened up in that tower?" Kiry asked, Daryl sighed, he should have known she'd catch that nothing got past that girl when it came to him or Merle.

"Ain't none a your business girl." Daryl said trying to keep that stupid grin off his face that cropped up whenever he thought about kissing her.

"She finally pin ya down and steal away your manly virginity like she planned, cause I'd a thought it'd take a bit longer." Daryl smacked Kiry upside the head for what she'd said.

"No, we just made out a bit, things were said, wait you just say that was what she was plannin?" Daryl asked, Kiry failed to hide her grin it was good for him to know this shit.

"Girl's got needs, and she needs you brother, even went so far as to ask me to help her try and get you alone, you tell her you love her yet?" Kiry switched the question, but Daryl was just blinking at the thought of a woman as perfect and beautiful as Carol trying to jump his bones.

"No, I ain't stupid, she really did that, fuckin aye." He mumbled, she clapped him on the back trying not to laugh.

"Good luck brother." Kiry told him while he grinned like a fool, they spent the rest of there watch basically repeating that same conversation in multiple variations, then he went over to her kissing her neck and wrapping one arm around her to sleep, the other under his head as a pillow.

In the morning they all got up and gathered there gear for the move into the prison, Carol and Daryl were making moon eyes at each other while Carol helped Sophia get ready, and Kiry tried not to laugh at them.

Rick, Daryl, and Kiry took point to keep the brunt of them off the group, it was slow and messy, but they were making good headway. Eventually they made it to a cell block that they cleared out dragging the bodies out.

"Is it safe?" Lori asked, Kiry rolled her eyes, Lori was crazy pregnant at this point and had pretty effectively slowed the groups run in here to a crawl.

"This cell block is." Rick offered looking through the gate they hadn't come through, Rick and Daryl each had a set of keys so they'd locked up behind them just to be safe, they didn't know if the fence had any breaches.

"We need to keep clearing this out, ain't keen on findin out the hard way we ain't the only group here." Daryl told Rick, he nodded now that they had a safe place to leave Lori he wanted to clear out everything he could.

"Right, T-dog, Glenn, Maggie, Hershel, Kiry are all fit, the seven of us will keep clearing the area out, the rest of you need to stay here and make sure this place is safe so we have somewhere to fall back to." Rick informed them, Kiry shook her head.

"Hershel should stay here, we need him fit and in fighting condition if we get hurt out there, not to mention if Lori pops." Kiry spoke up Rick bowed to that logic, it would be nice to have the medic with them, but safer to leave him here.

"Right, Hershel you stay here and lock this area down." Rick told him handing off a set of keys to him. Hershel and his entire family seemed relieved by the news, Carol grabbed Daryl's hand when most of the group had turned to start there tasks.

"Stay safe, and come back to me." Carol pleaded, Daryl looked around and people were mostly ignoring them, so Daryl did something painfully embarrassing. He leaned over kissing her sweetly, but she tangled her fingers in his hair deepening the kiss.

"Ugh gross!" Carl pantomimed throwing up and Sophia smacked him upside the head before Kiry got the chance. Daryl pulled away blushing, which was a funny new sight for most of them.

"Promise." He mumbled following after Rick and the group, there was no shortage of walkers in the halls to keep any questions at bay and when they rounded one of the corners they ran into a herd, and got split up from Glenn and Maggie. When they went to find them they got pushed back into the cafeteria.

"They're fucking everywhere!" T-Dog cursed whipping the blood off himself, Rick looked around at the group.

"Is anyone hurt?" They all knew what he meant, had they been bitten, but it sounded better his way, the group shook there heads in unison.

"Hey, we ain't alone." Daryl said his crossbow aimed over Rick's shoulder, Rick and the group turned shifting out of the way of Daryl's aim.

"Who the hell are you?" Kiry asked her own weapon at the ready, behind the cafeteria counter through a metal mesh there were four men, a large and small black man, a black haired slimy looking man, and a little light haired man with an awful handlebar mustache.

"Tomas, this is Axle, Oscar, Big Tiny, and Andrew, who the fuck are you?" Tomas asked holding the only gun on Daryl, from behind a grate, the rest of them had blunt weapons. They knew it would take next to nothing to take them out.

"You're gonna wanna put that down." Rick said as he and T-dog pointed there guns at the group, Axle was the first to lower his weapon, Tomas was the last, but they all knew there were no other options.

Carol helped Sophia set up her cell for her and Kiry, Carol knew Daryl would hate the idea of sleeping in the cells so she'd let him pick where they slept. It was nice not to be scared something would wander through and kill them all, but she was worried about Daryl and Kiry. He had actually kissed her when the group could see, she didn't know what had changed, but she loved it, and she was terrified she would lose him now.

They set up a place to cook and cleaned out cells, the day went by painfully slow waiting for them to come back. She kept thinking of all the things that could go wrong, she hadn't even gotten to be with him yet, she couldn't lose him.

They lost Big Tiny right off to his stupidity and Tomas, and then they had a bit of a problem with Tomas and Andrew, so by the time they'd cleared out another Cell block for the prisoners, it was only Axle and Oscar, Daryl was just glad they hadn't brought them back to Carol and the group.

"Who are those people?" Carol asked when she finally caught Daryl after the whole group came back. She had been so relived when she saw him, but then she heard them talking about prisoners and now she was just worried.

"Ain't nothin to worry about, just some prisoners that were in here since this all started, we took care a the ones that were a problem." He told her reaching out and running his hands down from her shoulders to hold her hands since she had pulled him away from the group into Sophia and Kiry's cell.

"You trust them?" She asked tangling her fingers with his, he looked down at there clasped hands. He was worried about these new people, but it was hard for him to keep his mind on it here with her.

"No, but we can handle it." He told her struggling to finish his sentence while she stepped into his space. She nodded not a hint of doubt in her eyes and it took his breath away, he'd never had anyone trust him that way. He used to see Kiry look at Merle that way, which he never understood, but no one had ever had that look for him.

He leaned down kissing her gently, he was finally getting the hang of this whole kissing thing, he let her lead learning every little touch that made her moan. She leaned into him tangling her fingers in his hair her free hand drifting down his back until she got the confidence to loop her thumb under his belt.

He moaned pulling her flush against him needing to feel her even if his zipper was digging painfully into him. Kiry walked in to the cell throwing her hands up to cover her eyes turning around quickly.

"Wow, seriously, you guys need a sign or something. I really don't mean to keep walking in and cock blocking you brother. I mean it's my cell." Kiry grumbled leaving the room, Daryl sighed letting his forehead fall onto Carol's shoulder.

"We need our own damn room darlin." He huffed, Carol laughed, a genuine happy laugh that Daryl almost never heard and it made it impossible to keep the stupid grin off his face so he stayed buried in the nape of her neck.

"You want to share a room with me?" She asked backing up to look at him, he smirked soothing her hair down gently.

"Ya, if you want." He said taking a step back so he could chew on the corner of his thumb nail nervously. She smiled, that real smile that warmed his heart, the one he was seeing more often now and if it had anything to do with him then he'd do anything to keep her happy.

"Of coarse." She said getting up on her toes to kiss him, just a peck, but even that got his heart racing. "So where do you want sleep?" She asked leading him out by the hand, he looked around at the cells and the perch. Normally he would want to stay on the perch, but he wanted privacy.

"How 'bout that one?" He asked pointing to the furthest cell by the wall, it had no door, but they could work something out. She was surprised he'd picked a cell, she'd been ready to sleep on the perch in the middle.

"Are you sure, I know you don't like cages?" She asked squeezing his hand, he looked down at there clasped hands a show of intimacy he never would have thought he'd enjoy.

"Want some privacy, if you don't wanna..." He trailed of feeling self conscious, he pulled his hand away to fidget with the strap for his bow.

"How about we use that one for now and see if we can't clear this place out enough so we can stay in one of the watch towers? What could keep the group safer then a Dixon on constant watch, not to mention we'd have some real privacy then?" She offered, he smirked wrapping his arm around her waist and kissing her forehead gently.

"Sounds like a plan woman." So they grabbed there stuff and moved it up to the cell Daryl had chosen and Carol hung a thin sheet from the door to one wall so only a tiny part of it was unblocked. She was reaching up to secure the last corner when Daryl couldn't take it any more. He'd never had a woman he could touch whenever he wanted and watching her stretch up like that her shirt riding up leaving her mid drift exposed was arousing to say the least. He came up behind her sliding his hand from her side to her exposed stomach and brushing his thumbs just under her jeans.

"Tadah. Privacy!" She told him though her announcement trailed off into a moan when he kissed her neck. He loved that sound, he wanted to know every way to touch her that made her make it. He slid one hand up under her shirt laying his hand flat on her slightly concave expanse of stomach. She was so soft and warm, he just wanted to taste her.

"So we're going to double check the area out to the yard clear it again if need be, set a watch in the tower and... ugh, sorry." Rick had outlined the layout of the prison on a map Kiry was making, the girl couldn't tell you what six divided by four was, but she had a hell of a spacial memory. Rick had finally looked up and they'd been frozen in a rather damning position like deer in the headlights.

"The fuck can't any fucking one remember to knock, it's the end of the world not manners!" Daryl huffed following Rick so they could make a plan leaving Carol to giggle and feel disappointed that he wasn't touching her any more.


	9. Chapter 9

"Right so we clear out the yard and a path to it. We'll seal up any leaks, Glenn Maggie you two take just Axle and go back to the cafeteria through the halls we closed off and start getting that food over here." Rick dolled out the plan as Carol came out to stand behind Sophia who was right next to Daryl and Kiry. Daryl heard her come up and reached back taking her hand in his, she had to bite her bottom lip to stop the spread of a stupid grin on her face.

"Daryl once we've got to the yard take you're family and start clearing the watch towers, once that's done I want you four as our primary sweep through these halls. You're fast and quiet and don't have to get down to hand to hand." Rick told them, Kiry nodded a little smirk playing across her lips at his choice of words and her brother's clasped hand with Carol.

Daryl nodded too, he hadn't hardly noticed what Rick had implied, but Carol was grinning like a fool at the idea of this being her family now. Rick turned to give orders to the rest of the group.

"So Dad, now that we have a place will you finish teaching me and mom how to track and hunt like we started?" Sophia asked, Daryl used his free hand to ruffle her hair not even phased that she'd called him Dad she'd done it a few times over the winter.

"Gotta get it safe in here first, but then ya we'll pick it up girl." He told her, it was an odd feeling having this little family. His own piece of perfection carved out of the hell at the end of the world. He'd never imagined he'd have anything this good, much less here.

"I was thinking once we get this place semi secure we should salvage some decent wood and get everybody using a bows. We shouldn't be wasting ammo the way we are not matter how much we have." Kiry offered up, she could make a bow herself nothing as elegant as the ones Daryl could make, but she could make them effective and faster then Daryl.

"It's a decent plan, guns won't last forever if we start teaching everyone how to work as a silent team the way you and your family does we could really stand a chance here." Rick agreed, Kiry nodded so that was the plan.

Over the next two days they were too busy clearing the guard towers and the yard and then Kiry and Sophia went with T-dog and Oscar to find the medical facilities since Lori was about to pop. Carol was far from happy that Sophia was part of the clearing party, but her and Daryl were busy clearing out halls and locking up any weaknesses as per the plan they'd all put together.

"Do you think they're alright?" Carol asked ripping her arrow out of the eye of a twice dead woman. Daryl closed the gate to that section, They'd only found one breach in the wall so far, but they hadn't gotten very far with how thick the dead were.

"Of coarse woman, ain't nothin kill a Dixon but a Dixon, should clear out these offices and head back." He offered leaning over and kissing the top of her head, he wanted to hold her but they weren't exactly safe down here.

"You're right, I just... she's my little girl. She's turned into such a brave strong young woman and I'm terrified I'm going to lose you all. I've never had much, for so long Sophia has been the only good thing in my life and I have never been very good at protecting her." Carol whispered pushing the door open so Daryl was free to aim his cross bow into the room.

"Don't talk like that woman." He told her losing an arrow into the skull of a man in a guard uniform who was in a state of decay that even Daryl for repulsive.

"It's true, I should have been so much stronger, I should have been able to keep her safe from the start, but it took almost losing her to realize I needed to get stronger." He had to strain his ears to hear her hushed voice before she shot the top half of a walker that had crawled out from behind the desk.

"Ain't nothin you could a done better, you done right by her and that's more then most parents can say." Daryl offered in his own hushed tone as they entered the next office, this one had a rather large comfortable looking couch tucked in the corner. It was even clean, Carol took note of this thinking that maybe she could take the cushions and add them to a couple of the mattresses to make a bigger bed for the two of them.

"Thank you." She mumbled holding her bow at her side since this room seemed to be clear of walkers.

"It's clear down here, it's all lock up or cleared out, or both." Daryl told her closing the door to the office leaving them inside while Carol looked through the desk coming up with a half a bottle of fine aged scotch.

"Then I think we should toast our good work." Carol offered opening the bottle and wafting the thick sent of good scotch. Daryl came up behind her wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his head on her shoulder so he could kiss her neck sweetly.

"Could do a little more then make a toast, won't get interrupted here, and it's safe enough." He whispered against her soft skin tasting of salt and her unique sweet taste. She moaned leaning into him taking a long draft of the scotch letting the soft burn of alcohol settle in her mostly empty stomach.

"We could do a lot more here with this big fluffy couch and hours to go before we'd be missed." She told him turning in his arms the liquid courage sweetening her tongue as she placed a passionate kiss on his rough lips pressing the bottle into his hand.

He let his eyes drift closed glad for the thick door and it's sturdy locks to keep him from having to stay completely alert. She ran her hands down his chest slipping her thumbs beneath his waist band suggestively. He groaned slipping his hands down her back to her rear pulling her flush against him and lifting her off the ground.

She wrapped her legs around his waist grinding her core against the sizable bulge in his jeans. He groaned at the pleasure so intense it was almost pain, not to mention the zipper was harsh against him.

"Oh, Daryl! please let me feel you!" She pleaded slipping her hands up his shirt yanking it over his head. He hissed hearing how much she needed him had his jeans so tight he was sure he would snap the button clear off.

"Fuck Carol, you're so beautiful." He whispered as if it were a prayer, a holy sacrament at the foot of her alter as his hands worshiped her body. He slid her shirt off to find she had nothing beneath the soft worn red cotton of her new favorite shirt.

He had never seen her this way before and it took his breath away sending them tumbling back onto the couch. She was straddling him now and he kissed gently from her collar to her breast, her soft pale skin searing his lips.

He wasn't sure how to touch her this way, but he would spend years learning how to make her moan if she'd let him. She tangled her fingers in his hair while he flicked his tongue over her sensitive peaks.

"Daryl please!" She begged dipping her hand between them to undo the zipper of his jeans, his head lolled back at the soft touch of her small hands. He wanted to make her come before he lost himself to her experienced hands so he took a long drat of the scotch that had been long forgotten near his feet before he slipped his hand between them pushing her low raised jeans down a bit more so he could feel her wet folds.

"I've never..." Daryl groaned embarrassment coloring his cheeks, she kissed him before he could finish not caring if he had never touched a woman, even if he were the worst lover in the world he would be far more then she ever thought she deserved.

He turned them over laying her gently on the couch so he had better access and she whimpered with pleasure as his calloused hands brushed past her more sensitive bits. Daryl was watching with wrapped attention her face taught with pleasure taking in every touch that brought her closer to her peaks.

"Daryl!" She whimpered muffling her cries against his shoulder leaving a deep purple love bite in her wake as she finished. He was smirking pleased with himself for learning so quickly and applying it well if not somewhat clumsily.

"I... I've never had anyone do that for me before." She whispered as she came down from her high, with her words his smirk grew to a grin but it didn't last long as the wails of some kind of alarm snapped them both out of there passionate haze.

"The fuck is goin on?" Daryl growled pulling his shirt back on quickly and zipping his pants the panic had effectively quelled any arousal. Carol hurried pulled on her own clothes grabbing her bow and quiver from where she had leaned them by the desk to get the scotch.

"It must be an alarm we didn't trip before because the power was off, the generator isn't far we need to shut it off!" Carol said knocking an arrow and going to the door to open it for him, he nodded and when they went into the hall there were half a dozen walkers trying to claw there way through the locked gate at the end.

"We ain't got all day." Daryl growled when Carol stared in horror at the scene, she shook it off following Daryl towards the generator. When they got there Andrew was waiting for them, and once they turned the corner he punched Daryl square in the face.

"Daryl!" Carol gasped trying to line up a shot, but Andrew had tackled Daryl to the ground and now they were wrestling to get into a position where they could beat the other. Daryl slammed his head up into the bridge of his nose sending blood splashing across his face. Andrew reared up in pain and Daryl smashed his elbow into his jaw knocking him onto the floor.

Carol was left with no way to help standing there watching as Daryl flipped up on top of Andrew beating in his face until it was nothing more then an unrecognizable mound of caved in flesh. Carol shook herself from her shock flipping off the power and going to Daryl.

"Daryl, Daryl stop, he's dead!" Carol told him putting her hand on his back, he whipped around his eyes full of rage, but when he saw her his shoulders slumped and he got himself off of the dead man pulling her into him.

"You alright?" He whispered, she clung to him hopping everyone else was alright, Sophia and Kiry were out there.

"We need to get back to make sure Sophia and Kiry are okay." Carol told him, he reluctantly released her, he was shaking with fear turned rage from having put Carol in such danger. He could handle walkers, but the living could do far more harm then any geek.

"Kiry will keep her safe." Daryl reassured her letting his hand brush down her arm gently leading the way out into the hall. The moved quickly through the halls locking up anything that they could just to be safe.

When the got back to the cell block it was empty, so they headed over to the yard just in time to see Rick run off in a rage. Neither of them saw Kiry, Sophia, or T-dog, but Oscar was standing with Axle looking shameful and Carl and Maggie were standing with Hershel fussing over something.

"Where's my family?" Daryl growled Oscar looked over at him with a look of shame fear and pity.

"I lost them, T he got bitten closing a gate on the way back to find out what was happening, he was determined to get us back. We ran and I don't know we were lost and there were too many T sacrificed himself so we could escape. I ran and when I turned around they were gone." Oscar told him, Daryl was seething, but his need to find them was more important then his desire to throttle Oscar for leaving them.

"What the fuck are we standin around for?" Daryl snarled Carol was struggling to hold herself together when Daryl turned to her. She looked up at him and the fear in her eyes broke his heart, he wrapped his arms around her pulling her into his chest in the most public display of affection they'd had yet the love they saw in that embrace was nothing compared to the chaste kiss from before.

"Oscar will you show us where you lost them?" She hardly whispered the words over his shoulder. She had a deathly calm about her that reminded the group of the way Daryl looked when he'd realized he may never find Merle.

"Ya." He mumbled sadly Daryl looked at the rest of the group expectantly.

"Well who the fuck is comin with us?" Daryl asked, Carl turned around revealing a tiny baby wrapped in a jacket.

"We can't, we gotta go on a run she needs formula, we... we lost Lori." Maggie told them, Carol nodded her understanding and the three of them turned to find Sophia and Kiry leaving Carl, Axle, Hershel and Beth to fend for the child while Glenn and Maggie went on the run.

"Wait, I'll go your pa may need ya for the baby." Axle told Maggie he wanted to pull his weight. Carol didn't hear any more as she headed with Oscar into the tombs.

Kiry was running out of steam and she was long since out of throwing knives, even Sophia was out of arrows. The two of them were down to hand to hand running from a still rather large heard that had swarmed into the halls from the alarm and then had been drawn to the heavy steps of there boots and the cries of T-dog's death.

She didn't know how they'd gotten so lost, she hated buildings like this she'd never been good at navigating them. Sophia yelped as half a corpse grabbed her ankle trying to take a hunk of flesh from her.

Kiry pulled her away stomping the things head in with her boot, the noise had brought the rest of them down on them. Kiry pushed a near by door open pushing Sophia inside and turning pulling the door shut behind them but something wet on the floor had her losing her footing slipping to the floor and slamming her head into something beneath her.

She could hear them banging at the door as her vision blurred, she prayed Sophia would be okay. Sophia sobbed quietly holding her jacket to the back of Kiry's head, she had hit some kind of sink in the janitor's closet they were in.

She had passed out a while ago bleeding all over, Sophia didn't know what else to do, she didn't know anything about medical stuff. What would she do if Kiry died down here, she'd turn... Sophia would have to but down the closest thing she'd ever had to a big sister.

"I'm gonna save us." Sophia whispered, pulling the coat away to see if the bleeding had stopped yet. It looked like it had, the cut wasn't big or deep, but it had bled a lot. She picked up Kiry's knife and curled her legs up to her chest. She would wait for a little while to see if she woke up. She was so exhausted any way.

She was fighting to stay awake soon and she knew if she didn't get up and move soon she would fall asleep and leave them vulnerable. She got to her feet both knives in hand listening for any sound. She couldn't hear anything so she opened it just a little, but as she did one of them threw it's self at her.

She yelped stabbing her knife into the big guys head through it's jaw, she could hardly reach and when it started falling it pushed the door closed taking her knife with it. She tried to push the door open, but the massive walker had pinned it shut and she wasn't strong enough to open it.

She clutched the last knife they had between them her heart was pounding now so at least she wouldn't fall asleep. Kiry moaned and Sophia held the knife up ready to put her down if she had to.

"Phia, kid?" Was all Kiry managed but the words were enough for Sophia dropped the knife and threw herself at Kiry hugging her fiercely.

"I thought I'd lost you, I thought... I thought I'd have to... to put you down!" She sobbed hardly loud enough to hear, Kiry managed to lift one arm around her, she felt so weak.

"Never kid, nothin... nothin kills a Dixon..." She tried letting her sentence trail off, it was an effort just to open her eyes right now.

"I... I can't get the door open!" Sophia sobbed, Kiry let her eyes drift shut her hand dropping back to her side.

"Just let me... sleep. Just a bit." She mumbled, Sophia nodded vigorously sitting down next to her to wait. She tried to stay awake, but it didn't take long for her eyes to drift closed. Her ind drifted to the time her and Daryl had been locked in the Dixon's pantry for half the day.

"_We must have somthin to fuckin eat in here!" Merle grumbled he'd just bought food yesterday, Buck wasn't even fucking home how could they be out of food, he didn't have the cash to get more for three more days. How the fuck could he feed them if the fucking food had up and vanished._

_Kiry was only twelve and she had already spent too much time going hungry, Merle hated letting her down. Kiry looked up at him with that look of hope and adoration and he heard the door upstairs slam._

_"Fuck, get in there!" Merle growled shoving Daryl and Kiry into the empty cupboard knocking down the bottom two shelves so Daryl could fit at his awkward gangly state at fifteen. He closed them in and turned to face down his pa._

_Kiry buried her face in Daryl's chestshe had never seen any one so frighting as Buck Dixon, her mom had a fondness for cigarette burns and throwing large objects at her, but Buck could break her like a twig for no reason other then he'd gotten it in his head that you'd looked cross ways at him._

_"Get the fuck out a my way boy I'm hungry!" Buck's booming voice rang in there ears and Daryl wrapped himself around Kiry protectively his gangly arms could nearly wrap it's self around her twice._

_"You the one who ate all the fucking food I bought?" Merle asked, Daryl cringed his brother was a hot head and they both knew he would end up in the hospital to keep Buck away from them._

_"Ya what of it boy?" Buck asked his voice slurred with intoxication, a sick fleshy thwack sounded out, Merle must have hit him or maybe the other way around._

_"Fuck you then maybe you should buy some more fucking food, I spend ever fucking dime I earn tryin to feed me and mine and you come in and eat every fuckin thing!" Merle screamed at him, the thwacking sound continued and Kiry heard Merle whimper in pain, he was losing he was being beaten and she was hiding in a closet._

_She sobbed into Daryl's shirt she couldn't listen to this she couldn't just wait for Buck to get bored with beating on Merle and left him in a bloody heap. A scream of agony ripped through the silence and Kiry pulled away from Daryl._

_She slammed through the door throwing herself in between Merle and Buck his resounding kick landed on her ribs and she whimpered in pain. Buck looked down in confusion at the small girl now clinging to his beaten down boy._

_"Stop, please don't hurt him!" Kiry pleaded Buck snarled in disgust kicking her again before he turned and left them, Daryl hurriedly scooped them off the floor, Merle would have broken bones, he had a split lip, and his nose was bloody._


	10. Chapter 10

Daryl and Carol had followed Oscar to the hall where he'd last seen Kiry and Sophia, they weren't hard to follow at first leaving a trail of bodies at first then a few abandon knives and arrows. Daryl was ready to kill anything they saw, but Carol had taken her knife out and was cutting a swath through them in her despair. Daryl had never seen her like this, he wondered if she'd been like this when he and Sophia had been gone.

They retrieved the weapons as they went and Daryl knew they couldn't have many left. The bodies were thinning and the walkers were getting thicker. The last body they found had a standard knife in it's head, not a throwing knife. It was through the jaw which made Daryl worry it had been Sophia who was out there without a weapon.

"No! No they have to be here! They have to be!" Carol cried out not quite a yell but still much too loud for where they were.

"Carol, calm down." Was all Daryl could think to say putting his hand on her shoulder, she whipped around slapping him across the face.

"No! You, you brought her back and everything was perfect and now... Oh God Daryl I... What if she's... Daryl I... I'm sorry I..." She sobbed letting him pull her into his chest he knew exactly how she felt if she weren't there he'd be tearing this place apart. "I'm so sorry." She whispered, he soothed her short hair down gently.

"I know... I know. We're gonna find them, you ain't gotta worry Kiry, she'll take care a our little girl." Daryl told her, then they pulled apart both of them looking at the door behind the dead walker. Something had just hit it, not hard, in all honesty it sounded like a walker.

Kiry heard them, but she could hardly lift her hand to try and push the door open and her tongue was dry and sticky, her throat thick. She couldn't get there attention, and with Sophia sound asleep next to her all she could do was bang on the door with the last of her strength.

"Oh God Daryl... what if... what if it's them?" Carol choked, Daryl's heart dropped into his stomach. What if it was, what if that was Kiry's dead body trying to get to them, or Sophia's. He couldn't see them that way, but he couldn't just leave them like that.

"Carol, go grab that things feet and pull." Daryl told her hopping that if she was busy dealing with the walker he could put them down before she had to see. He ripped the door open as soon as she'd pulled it away. Kiry had move to slamming her shoulder into the door since picking up her arm was too much work and so now she tumbled out of the little closet waking Sophia.

"Fuck brother... What I ever do to you?" She asked weakly, Sophia leaped to her feet slamming into Daryl's waist hugging him almost painfully hard.

"Daddy!" She sobbed he fell to his knees hugging her back he knew he was crying now but he didn't fucking care his family was there, they were alive.

"Sophia!" Carol breathed in disbelief Sophia looked over his shoulder letting go of Daryl who despite his desire to hold her for ever let her go to her momma.

"Mommy!" She squealed and Carol scooped her up into a desperate hug.

"New you'd find us brother." Kiry whispered, Daryl reached out scooping her off the floor helping her to her feet.

"What happened? You look like shit." Daryl asked, she snorted wishing she had the energy to crack him across the head.

"Took a knock is all, ain't sure I can walk back." Kiry told him, Daryl could see that her hair was matted to her head with blood.

"I got ya sis." He said scooping up her feet to carry her, Kiry went slack in his arms passed out again. Daryl looked back at Carol and Sophia trying to figure out how best to get every one back.

"Hey girl, you take your arrows out a my quiver so you can keep an eye out on the walk back." Daryl told Sophia, she nodded reaching up to take her things and they started making there way back. When He finally put Kiry in her bed leaving her to be tended to by Hershel it was getting dark.

"He ain't back yet, he should a been back by now." Maggie was pacing worriedly her eyes shooting to the window every few seconds.

"Settle girl if he ain't back by mornin we'll go find his dumb ass, he's probably just holed up for the night." Daryl told her, Beth gave him a grateful smile handing the baby to him so she could go to her sister. Carol looked worried for only half a second that he would be uncomfortable, but he held the baby like it was second nature.

"So what are we callin little ass kicker here?" Daryl asked looking over at Carl, he looked up at the tiny baby.

"I don't know, I was thinking maybe Lori." He whispered tears in his eyes, Carol would have loved to go to him, but Sophia as exhausted as she was beat her to it. Sophia hugged him, and Carl let his head fall on her shoulder the pain of the day washing over him.

"Kid deserves her own name, your daddy ain't gonna be able to look twice at her if she's named after your momma." Daryl told him, Carl nodded weakly and Sophia lead him away towards his cell, Daryl watched them go a little scowl knitting it's way onto his brow.

"Ain't sure I care for that." Daryl grumbled, Carol covered her mouth to keep from laughing at him.

"Maggie why don't you and Beth keep watch, that way when they come back you'll be right there to great them." Carol told them trying to keep her voice sober, Maggie was scared and it wouldn't do to be laughing when she tried to help.

Merle could hear that Asian kid killing the walker he'd loosed in there, but Merle had to wait a minute before he went back in. His eyes were watering and he'd be damned if he couldn't stop it. He just wanted to find his brother, Daryl was all he had left.

He should have let the Asian go get them, but he didn't trust them as far as he could throw them so he'd done something stupid like always. Fuck he wished Kiry were here to tell him how to fix it, damn if that girl didn't have a knack for cleaning up his messes.

He didn't do well on his own, when the Governor had found him he'd been so strung out on God knows what that he'd found looking for antibiotic for his arm that he hadn't even been able to get on his feet. Kiry had been right though he couldn't keep hiding from his life hell here it would get him killed, so now when he fucked things up this bad he found himself blubbering like a fucking pussy.

He wiped his eyes it wouldn't do for Martinez to come and find him blubbering, he hopped they were getting more from that creep fuck with the mustache. He took a deep breath and turned to go back in for another round, maybe with a bit more tact since the Asian had obviously maned up a bit since he last saw him.

He and Carol had actually gotten to sleep in the small bed with Carol secure in the knowledge that Sophia was with Kiry a few cells away. He was exhausted and they had fallen asleep with her tucked into his side her head on his chest.

He'd woken up with a raging hard on, with how often the two of them were interrupted it was a marvel he could get the thing to go down at all. He ran his hand up Carol's arm to see if he'd wake her when she didn't stir he let his hands drift down to those perfect breasts.

It was nice to look at her, to touch her without having to worry that she'd realize how bad he was at all this. She moaned in her sleep nuzzling closer to him, he smirked letting one hand graze down her stomach sneaking his rough hands under her soft cotton sleeping shorts moaning when he realized she had nothing on beneath them.

"Are you always this bad in the morning?" Carol asked her voice full of sleep, she had woken up to the pleasure of his rough hands slipping across her sensitive folds.

"Only around you woman, keep getting interrupted before the good part." He groaned feeling her impossibly tight core clench around his finger, he didn't know how he would fit with her so tight but damn if he didn't want to try it.

"I don't know I got to the good part last time." She smirked back at him her eyes fluttering open with a devious glint in them.

"I ain't never had a woman and I was used to that shit, but this teasin is getting old fucking fast." He explained shifting so he was over her grinding his painfully hard cock into her core making her whimper.

"Oh Daryl please... Please I need you!" She moaned breathlessly, her hands working between them to try and unzip his jeans. Before she could the curtain that separated them from the group was flung back.

"Daryl... Oh!" Maggie turned around when she saw the state they were in everyone knew they were together, but next to no one had actually seen them being intimate.

"OH FOR FUCK SAKE! When will anyone learn to fucking knock!" Daryl growled composing himself to see what the hell they wanted, Carol whimpered in disappointment at his absence.

"I'll be right fucking back." He told her huffing out to see what she needed.

"WHAT?" Daryl snarled, he could hear Carol giggle through the curtain, Maggie looked up sheepishly.

"I just... They're not back yet." Maggie told him looking worried enough to make Daryl feel bad for yelling.

"Ya alright let me get my shit." Daryl told her, Carol was sad that he had to go but after a few passionate kisses and a promise of more when he got back Daryl left for the gate.

"Who the Fuck is that?" Daryl asked when he saw a black woman by the fence Maggie shrugged looking worriedly over at Rick so he hurried to cut off Rick who was headed towards her with crazed eyes.

"Hey, the fuck you want?" Daryl asked pointing his crossbow at her, she looked down at the basket and Daryl saw it was full of formula and baby supplies. Daryl opened the gate his bow still pointed at her.

"The fuck you get that?" Daryl asked taking it and handing it to Rick who was just coming up as Daryl got the gate shut. Maggie tensed behind him even without looking he could tell she was going mad with worry.

"A man took the two men who were collecting it. I tracked them back here." She told him, with a second look he could tell she wasn't in good shape.

"Oh God, Glenn!" Maggie gasped covering her face, Daryl scowled he didn't like it but she seemed to want to help.

"We'll take a look at ya, get ya patched up then you can show us where they got taken." Daryl told her, Rick was looking on part of hi glad he wasn't responsible for this, but he worried about letting a stranger in too.

"Thank you." Rick whispered as they lead this woman inside, Daryl looked over at him not sure what he was being thanked for.

"For what?" Daryl asked shifting his crossbow to cover his discomfort. Rick lookedat hisboots running a hand through his dirty hair.

"I'm not... I can't deal with everything... She didn't even know... I'm just grateful that you're keeping them together." Rick finally spat out, Daryl shook his head.

"Ain't nothin, just lookin out for my own." Daryl told him, they went inside and Rick and Maggie took her to Hershel so Daryl thought he might see if her could squeeze in some alone time while they questioned her.

Carol hadn't wanted to let him go, but they needed that formula for the little ass kicker so she relented. It left her with a burning heat in the pit of her stomach. After what he'd been able to do with just his hand she couldn't help but imagine what the rest of him could do.

She closed her eyes remembering the way he touched her, she snuck her hand beneath her shirt flicking her thumb over her hard nipple with a silent moan. That was it she gave in, she trailed her other hand from her breasts to her core slipping one finger inside her other hand following to stimulate the sensitive nub of her core.

Her mouth fell open as she breathed hard nearing her peak, Daryl's silent steps didn't alert her and when he saw her there so close to coming he felt himself twitch painfully against his zipper. He crept up to her kneeling down without a sound.

He could tell she was close so he bent down kissing her passionately one hand on her breasts and his other replacing her pushing her over the edge. He swallowed her moans moving so he was on top of her.

"I... I thought you'd gone." She moaned when he released her lips, he shook his head while her hands frantically worked his zipper down, Daryl didn't bother taking her shorts off he just pushed the scrap of fabric aside and put himself at her entrance. He looked up at her to see if it was okay, she wrapped her legs around his waist pulling him towards her.

"Somethin came up tell ya later." He told her pushing into her hot wet core, she was so impossibly tight he had to stop just to keep himself together. He hung his head on her chest, carol wrapped her arms around him gasping at his size.

"Oh God Daryl, you're so... so big." She breathed, he bit into his cheek as he started to move very slowly within her.

"I... I ain't gonna last." Daryl whispered bringing his hand between them to bring her to the same pleasure he had. It didn't take much to send her towards the edge.

"Daryl, please, oh come with me." She moaned and sped up spilling into her when her already tight walls tightened in pleasure.

"Carol... Oh fuck I love ya woman." He groaned falling into her, he went stiff when he realized what he'd said but she just stroked his hair gently.

"Really?" She whispered hardly loud enough for him to hear from his position on her chest.

"Wouldn't a said it if it weren't true, ain't gotta say it back or nothin." He grumbled he could feel his cheeks flush, and he was itching to bolt, but she had a hold of him.

"I love you too, so much Daryl." She breathed, he sighed his eyes drifting closed in relief he had never imagined anyone would ever say those words to him and mean them. He was so unimaginably luck to have his little family here at the end of the world.

"I should check on that woman, fuck you're so perfect." Daryl groaned as he pulled out of her, he wanted to stay and enjoy her company, but he really needed to be there to help Rick.

"What woman?" Carol asked sitting up behind him as he sat on the edge of the bed fixing his clothes, she rubbed his shoulders and he went slack beneath her hands.

"Found a woman by the fence, said someone's got Glenn and Axle. Gotta... gotta see what she knows." Daryl struggled to care enough to speak, he was satisfied and now she was rubbing him down and if he didn't need to get up he would just lay back and sleep all day.

"Oh, let me get dressed, I'll come too." Carol said releasing him, he lolled back at her absence and had to shake his head to clear it of the fog she seemed to have shrouded him in. Once they were both composed Carol tangled her fingers with his and they went to check on what was going on.

"Get back in bed." Daryl growled when he saw Kiry standing with the group around the black woman. Kiry turned and looked them over for a second then smirked.

"Finally." She said with a wink heading back to her cell, she had lost a lot of blood and she wasn't supposed to be up and about yet. Carol and Daryl both blushed, but everyone was too distracted by the new girl to see.

"Then you can take us there and we'll get them back, Carol and Sophia you stay here with Hershel, Beth, and Kiry and prepare in case any of them need medical attention. Maggie you can come bring a med kit just in case. Oscar, Daryl you too, we'll be back in no time." Rick anounced, Carol went still, Daryl knew she wouldn't be happy about being left, but Daryl was glad he didn't know what they were walking into.

"No if Daryl goes, I go." Carol told them a stern look in her eyes that none of them had ever seen before. Daryl tugged her arm gently so she would face him.

"Woman, we ain't gonna leave Sophia here alone, Kiry ain't in no condition to keep her safe if anythin happened, we'll be in and out in a few hours. Please, just stay here, and stay safe so I can do this proper." He whipered not too comfortable with doing this in front of the group, but he needed his family to be safe.

"Fine but stay safe, if you're not back by tomorrow night I'll track you down and kick your butt." She whispered back, he chuckled she could do it too of the two of his girls Carol was by far the better tracker she had the patience and the keen eye of the abused.

"Promise, love ya woman." He whispered a deep bush creeping across the back of his neck, Carol smiled covering there clasped hands.

"I love you too Sophia and I will be with Kiry when you want to say goodbye, good luck." She said a little louder since she wasn't in the least embarrassed by this display kissing him on the cheek. Daryl turned back to the group greeted by smiles and looks of amusement that just deepened his blush while he chewed on his thumb.

"Well we gonna fuckin do this or what?" Daryl growled, Rick held his hands up and they went back to planning.

"I don't get to go do I?" Kiry asked from her spot next to Sophia where they were sharpening her knives. Carol shook her head sitting next to her with a sigh, Kiry looked over at her cocking an eyebrow dramatically.

"Can we go Mamma?" Sophia asked looking around Kiry, Carol's frown deepened as she pulled her own knife from the boots Kiry had gotten for her over the winter.

"No sweety, they don't know what they're getting into so we're staying to keep little ass kicker safe." Carol told her, Kiry scowled knowing Carol wasn't happy for some reason.

"Hey why don't you see if Beth needs any help with that little one?" Kiry asked twitching her brow towards the door to signal that she wanted a second with her momma.

"You got a bad feelin about this?" Kiry asked, Carol shook her head staring at the window through the bars.

"Not exactly, I just feel like something is gonna go wrong and everything's gonna change." Carol mumbled, Kiry put her arm around Carol's shoulder comfortingly.

"I'll pray with ya if it'll help, but I'm sure everything'll go just fine, our boy'll keep 'em together." Kiry told her, Carol leaned her head on Kiry's shoulder.

"Thanks, I wish I'd had a sister like you growing up." Carol told her, she smiled she had always thought it would be nice to have a sister.

"We're headed out, ya okay?" Daryl asked when he saw Carol leaning on Kiry, Carol sat up getting to her feet.

"Ya, just worrying is all. Sophia went to check on Beth and the baby." Carol explained, Kiry held her hand out and he took it pulling her into a half hug.

"Get your ass back here quick brother or Carol's likely to beat my ass." Kiry whispered, he chuckled ruffling her hair before she swatted his hand away.

"Watch it I got stitches." She grumbled going back to her work, Carol walked him out, but stopped him when they were alone.

"Don't do anything stupid okay, we need you to come back in on piece." Carol told him lifting her hand to his cheek enjoying the way his stubble tickled her palm.

"You too woman." He covered her hand with his wrapping his other arm around her waist pulling her in and kissing her, her lips were desperate like his had been during there first kiss, even he could tell she was afraid this was there last. "I'm comin back woman, for Christ sake have a little faith." He told her, she chuckled kissing him again before they went to find Sophia,

"Daddy, they finally gave her a name, her name's Judith." Sophia told him as she held the baby girl proudly. Daryl smiled reaching down and kissing the top of her head, Carol smiled he looked more like her father in that moment then Ed ever had.

"I'll be back in a little bit kid, keep your Mamma safe for me, and don't let your aunt Kiry over do it the stubborn ass ain't never been much for listenin." Daryl told her in a conspiratorial whisper, she giggled kissing his cheek.

"Hurry back okay Daddy." She told him and he left with the others, Carol watched them pull away and she had this sinking feeling in her gut that nothing would be the same again.

Merle didn't like the way the governor kept looking at him, he could tell something was off, but worse then that he wasn't getting anything from the Asian. He just wanted to find his fucking brother, maybe he'd give it a little charm take the kid out to the wall tell him he's free to go if he just tells him where Daryl is.

He was about to do just that when the alarm started up, for fuck sake had the kid got out or was it that black bitch getting back in? He pulled his gun out of the back of his jeans to go see what he could do. Fuck this town was a lot a work once he found Daryl he was out, the governor was off his fucking rocker.


	11. Chapter 11

Merle's voice hit him like a ton of bricks, Glen had said it was him that did this, but he hadn't bought it. Now he needed to go and find him, he told the group he'd lay down fire and he did, but when his gun trained on Merle he froze and took a hit from behind that he should of seen coming.

The whole world went black and when he woke up he had his hands tied and his head covered with a bag. He couldn't feel the reassuring weight of his bow either, fuck Carol was going to be pissed when he got back... if he got back.

He could hear someone talking but it was drown out by the throbbing in his head, someone must have clocked him pretty good. Someone pushed him forward pulling his bag off his head and letting him lose. He looked around and the first thing his eyes saw was Merle, then the crowd and a red head who had his crossbow, then Andrea.

She looked like she was saying something, he shook his head to try and clear it so he could listen, but it just sent a wave of pain through him. He looked over at Merle and could see he was just as worried as Daryl was.

Merle had known as soon as the governor mentioned him he knew he was in for a world a shit, but there was no way he could kill his brother especially to stay with these crazy fucks, Daryl was all he had left. He closed his eyes thinking of how maybe if he died here he could be with Kiry, but no there was no way they'd end up in the same place.

"Sorry Kiry." Merle whispered but before he could even think all hell broke lose again, they'd come back for Daryl. How the fuck had he wormed his way so far into the group that they'd come back for him. No one gave a shit about the Dixon's except Kiry but well he could see where that got her.

He ran with his brother at his back getting his cross bow back for him, it was just like old times. The Dixon brothers at it again, but when they got out to the rest of the group and that Asian boy went ape shit. He'd just take Daryl and leave he didn't give a fuck, it'd be just him and Daryl against the world like it usually was.

"Fuck you he's family, ya he's done some stupid shit but I ain't leavin him." Daryl growled glaring at Glen who was the main argument against Merle coming back.

"Look we'll talk this through, I'm sure we can work it out." Rick said doing his best to keep them calm. Daryl's expression fell from rage to an eerie calm.

"Fine let me make it real simple, Merle ain't welcome I'll come back and get my shit, you can do with out us." Daryl said pointedly, they'd stayed with the group because there was strength in numbers, and at this point his family had the numbers.

"Daryl, no we need you." Rick tone was serious, Glen looked back at Maggie even he knew they'd be weak without the Daryl's family.

"Fine, but I don't trust him, and we should treat him accordingly, he set a walker lose on me for Christ sake." Glen whispered harshly, Maggie didn't need to know what happened just yet she was already worried enough.

"Fair enough, let's get back." Daryl grumbled going to get Merle, he wasn't going to like this but Daryl had a family to get back to. He just hoped Merle wouldn't fuck that up too bad for him.

"Merle get in the fucking car." Daryl told him, Merle looked over at him with a look of disbelief.

"You convinced officer friendly and his queers to let me come back after all that, you suckin his cock little brother?" Merle asked as crude as ever Daryl smacked him upside the head.

"Play nice Merle you're on thin fuckin ice as is." Daryl told him, Merle cocked an eyebrow at him sceptically.

"Fine by me Darylina let's just fuckin ditch these nigger lovers." Merle laughed, Daryl ground his teeth Merle was getting all puffed up to keep them from seeing he felt bad, but no one else knew that.

"Trust me Merle you wanna see this." Daryl told him cryptically getting into the vehicle. Merle didn't know what to think, but he'd see where it took him. The ride home was long and awkward since no one would talk to Merle. Merle was perfectly content to fill that awkward silence with rude unwelcome comments to cover for how uncomfortable he was.

Carol started to get worried by the first night so Sophia, Kiry and her took watch. Kiry was doing her best to keep both the girls calm, but with Carol in full panic mode Sophia was getting restless too. Kiry spotted movement on the horizon just before mid day.

"Look, I bet that's them." Kiry told them pulling a knife any way and heading down the tower behind the girls.

"Daddy!" Sophia called loudly when they saw it was the right vehicle. Carol let them through the first gate. Carol locked eyes with Daryl, but something didn't seem right, Kiry was the first to see him.

"Merle." Kiry whispered as they stopped the car up by the prison where Kiry and Sophia were waiting. Kiry fell back into the shadow of the prison waiting for them to file out so she could know for sure, he was the first one out with a cocky shit eating grin on his face.

"Merle!" Kiry cried out she couldn't keep the edge of a sob out of her voice, but she didn't care she ran towards him. Merle looked over at whoever had called his name and was greeted by Kiry throwing herself at him.

"Kiry!" Hey gasped catching her easily with one hand. She kissed him full on the mouth wrapping her legs around his waist. He turned her towards the car leaning them against it so his hand could trail up her side leaving fire in it's wake. Merle had always known just how to touch her.

"Knock that shit off there are kids out here." Daryl growled, Merle flicked him off with his good hand but a second latter Kiry pushed him off her feet dropping to the ground.

"That's cause I missed you." She said with a coy smile then kicked him in the balls and punched him in the face on his way down.

"That's for leaving me behind!" Kiry told him with a scowl, Merle was clutching himself the pain twice as bad for the issues she'd been causing a moment before.

"Missed... missed you too ya bitch, I thought ya were dead." He groaned Kiry crouched down next to him looking very serious now.

"That's because you were high when I needed you." She told him the look she was giving him froze his blood. She had always hated his addiction, but now she looked like one wrong move would make that kiss there last.

"Is he okay?" Sophia asked taking Kiry's hand a wicked grin lit up her face and she soothed Sophia's hair down.

"Ya baby he's fine, Merle meet Sophia your daughter, that's what I was trying to tell you before you started getting high." Kiry told him, Carol and Sophia looked a little confused, but Sophia did her best to play along and when Carol saw Daryl biting his hand to keep from bursting out into a fit of laughter she understood.

"Wha... but... no I... our." Merle gasped struggling to make a whole thought, Kiry did he best, but before she could say anything else she broke out laughing wiping her eyes.

"Oh God Merle you should a seen your face, this is Carol's little girl calm down" Kiry told him Sophia giggled going over to her mom who was standing next to Daryl now.

"Fuck you! The fuck brother lettin her mess with me like that." Merle growled getting to his feet painfully, Sophia took Daryl and Carols hands and Merle eyed them carefully.

"You fuckin her?" Merle asked

"Merle! Watch you tongue or I'll cut it out." Kiry growled in a tone that rivaled Daryl angry voice. To the shock of everyone around them Merle put his good hand in the air in surrender. Kiry had never had a problem with him picking at Daryl so he figured it must be true.

"Didn't mean nothin by it, just curious as to where I stand is all. Come on Officer friendly take me to my cage like the good little prisoner I am." Merle said turning to Rick and slapping Kiry's ass in one motion. Kiry rolled her eyes biting the inside of her lip to keep from grinning like a fool, she loved him but if she fawned over him he'd walk all over her.

"I' gonna go keep an eye on the dimmer of the Dixon's make sure he don't cause no trouble." Kiry told them hurrying after Rick, Daryl sighed sagging against the wall.

"This ain't gonna be easy, Merle ain't one to share what he thinks is his so don't take no lip from the bastard, but don't let him get ya alone neither. I don't think he'll be a problem clean, but I ain't takin no risks, specially you 'Phia." Daryl told her pointing to emphasize that he meant it, she nodded looking after where Kiry had gone.

"Can I go with Aunt Kiry?" Sophia asked looking up with her big pleading eyes, Carol chuckled looking at Daryl to answer.

"Ya, just don't go pickin up habits from Merle." Daryl told her, she smiled running off into the prison.

"Are you really that worried about him?" Carol asked settling in under his arm, he leaned down kissing her sweetly.

"Nah, just know he's gonna stir up shit, I ain't got a great past so don't be shocked if he dredges it up." Daryl told her, she gave him that sweet smile that made him feel warm inside.

"I don't care what you did in the past, as long as you're mine now." She told him he bent down kissing her passionately making her head spin, he groaned pulling away.

"Gotta stop that shit or I'll take ya right here." He growled and they headed inside, it took a long time to get Merle settled into a cell with a locking door, but eventually he was left alone when Kiry went to help with Judith.

"Do you love aunt Kiry?" The little voice came just outside his range of view just before that little blond, Sophie, no Sophia, showed herself.

"What's it to you kid?" Merle grunted, he did of coarse, but he hadn't even told Kiry that much less this snot gobbler.

"Daddy says there's nothing more important then family, but..." She started, Merle held his hand up to stop her.

"Who says?" Merle asked, she sighed rolling her eyes at him.

"Daryl, but I know even if no one ever told me family's only family if the love you. Ed wasn't family." Sophia spat his name like a curse and that's when Merle remembered who they were, they'd been with that wife beater in Atlanta.

"That so?" Merle smirked the kid seemed smart, a bit of a nuisance but what kid wasn't.

"I don't expect you to love me or Momma, and I know you love Daddy, but do you love Kiry cause if you don't you ain't family, and if you ain't family then I don't have any problem watching you die like I watched Ed die." Sophia told him, he cocked an eyebrow at her words. He recognized her tone it was one he'd used before and in that moment she did something no one had ever done before, she reminded him of himself as a kid.

"Ya firecracker I'm family." Merle told her seriously, a bright smile returned to her lips reminding him of Kiry.

"Good, then it's nice to meet you uncle Merle." Sophia said turning to leave, Merle stood from his spot on the bed to catch her.

"How old are you little firecracker?" Merle asked her, she turned back leaning against the rail so she could talk.

"Thirteen almost fourteen, how old are you?" She asked running her hand up some kind of cord that went over her chest, it looked like a bow string.

"Thirty three." he told her she scowled looking him up and down for a second.

"How come you look so much older then that?" She asked he chuckled, kid was observant and at least if she stuck around he wouldn't be board.

"Drugs, what's that ya got there?" Merle asked pointing at her bow, she pulled it off holding it up for Merle to see.

"A bow, Daddy made it for me." She said showing of the name engraved in the side, he nodded examining the careful work that had been put into it. It was definitely Daryl's work, he'd spent three weeks making Merle a bow once and it'd been fucking nice, but then Merle had sold it for drug money, Daryl hadn't made one since.

"He don't do that for just anyone." Merle told her, she beamed slinging it back over her shoulder.

"He made one for Momma too and Kiry's gonna make some for everyone so we don't gotta use guns, but no one will teach me how to use a gun so I'm the best shot with his." She told him, a grin broke out across his face.

"That right, could teach ya if ya want, always was my thing." Merle told her, she smirked crossing her arms.

"I've heard, but I'd have to ask Daddy." She told him obviously keen on not playing his games, he chuckled.

"Do what ya gotta little firecracker." He told her leaning against the wall crossing his own arms the way she had.

"How did you meet aunt Kiry?" Sophia asked sliding down to the floor so she could sit and talk to him. His mind went unconsciously to that day.

_Merle sat in the back of a beat up red pickup with Dayl, who was only eleven, he was sitting forward trying not to aggravate the bruises on his ribs from his pa's belt. He would have to buy groceries tonight since Pa had forgotten them again this month. He'd been selling for skeeter for over a year now trying to keep Daryl fed._

_"Pa where are we goin?" Daryl asked, Merle leaned in front of the window to the cab so he was all there pa could reach._

_"Shut the fuck up!" There pa snarled smacking Merle in the back of the head, Daryl looked up at Merle with apologetic eyes, Merle smirked ruffling his hair even though his head was throbbing. They pulled into a grown over driveway to a shitty little trailer that looked ready to fall apart._

_Merle held Daryl back until there pa was out of the truck then they followed him quietly, the hose smelled of cat piss inside, Merle knew what that meant but he kept his mouth shut. There pa went off with some beat up looking woman with too much eye make up._

_"Hi." Merle was startled by the tiny voice, he turned and saw a little brunette girl with the brightest sea green eyes he'd ever seen. She was skinny and dressed in rags just like them, but something about her smile made him want to keep her safe._

_"Hey." Merle grumbled, Daryl waved she turned around and picked up a shoe box bringing it to them._

_"I'm Kiry, do you wanna play?" She asked holding the box out to them, it was full of beat up lego's._

_"I'm Daryl and this is Merle." Daryl told her with a weak smile, he looked over at Merle._

_"Ya whatever." Merle said flopping down on the carpet with them, Daryl seemed to enjoy the lego's for a little while until his stomach growled loudly._

_"Merle I'm hungry." Daryl whispered, Kiry frowned her stomach had been growling this whole time._

_"Momma didn't get food, we could check the freezer if you can reach." She told Merle, Merle shook his head getting up scratching his ankle fucking fleas had left a ring of bites on them._

_"Come on, you got shoes girl?" He asked, she shook her head, he sighed crouching down in front of her._

_"Get on then." Merle told her, she walked up wrapping her arms around his neck and he carried her to the store and bought them a sandwich to share then took them out to the woods to eat._

**_Sorry to leave you at this I'll post more next week please review!_**


	12. Chapter 12

**Sorry in advance if there are any mistakes, my computer crashed and I lost almost fifteen pages of this story so now I'm typing on my the desktop and the program I use isn't as good with catching mistakes. Enjoy, tell me what you think please!**

"Our parents knew each other, kinda took her in." Merle grumbled years of drugs made his mind wander, he didn't like feeling like that, it made his eyes burn with years worth of un-shed tears and that pissed him off.

"She said she didn't know if she could ever save you, but I hope it works out, she's really nice and she deserves to be happy. I should go before I get in trouble." Sophia said seeing Kiry looking up at her. She left leaving Merle to think about what she'd said, he'd never thought she'd give up on him.

He saw Daryl leaving a cell and heading for the stairs, maybe he could see what the fuck was going on with him and this Carol bitch. He'd never known his brother to be much for family, but then Daryl had never been with anyone before either.

"Hey baby brother, come talk to ol' Merle!" He called out if they were gonna lock him in a cell they could at least entertain him.

"What do ya want Merle?" Daryl asked already chewing on his thumb uncomfortably, Merle could tell he was nervous to talk to him.

"Just tryin to figure out what's goin on round here, left ya for a spell a went and picked up a family." Merle smirked, Daryl tugged on the strap of his cross-bow shifting awkwardly.

"Ain't like that, Carol... she... fuck it doesn't fucking matter! I love those girls so don't make me choose cause this one time you'll lose." Daryl told him moving away, Daryl was stunned silent he and Daryl had always been inseparable them against the world now he was choosing that bitch and her brat over him he needed to think.

"You're brtohter is hot-headed, but is he really so bad as to try and break us up because you chose us?" Carol asked from her spot nestled in his arms still quivering from there resent tryst , Daryl kissed her neck taking in her sweet scent.

"Maybe, depends on how his mood flips. Seen him light a man on fire for lookin at me sideways, and I seen him watch a guy kick my ass sideways for half an hour just laughing." Daryl told her she sighed snuggling closer to him kissing his chest.

"Why does Kiry love him any way?" Carol asked having a hard time wrapping her head around it with everybody telling her he was so bad.

"He's not always so bad, hell Kiry sprained her ankle when she as thirteen on a rock in this field once and Merle carried her seventeen miles to the free clinic in the town over, then when he got back he spent six hours moving every rock in that field into one big pile." Daryl told her, Carol smiled drawing lazy patterns on his chest.

"Tell me more about when you were a kid." She asked, he chuckled kissing the top of her head sweetly.

"Merle taught us everything, how to fight, how to shoot, how to track. Every good child hood memory I have was outside with one a those two. Kiry and me our birthdays are only like two weeks apart so this one year Merle goes out and blows twenty dollars on fireworks and smoke bombs and stuff, then he still got us both presents.

We went out to that field I told ya about and at night there ain't nothin but firefly's out there looks so thick you'd think you were lookin up at the stars. He sets up the fireworks and gives us all the little shit and we watched 'em go off eatin our cupcakes and then Merle pulls out two a the biggest boxes I ever saw in wrappin paper. He got me this crossbow and Kiry her first set a real nice knives, he stole 'em but it didn't matter.

We had never been so happy I was only fourteen so the bow was still a little heavy, but it was the best present I eve got." Daryl told her, she was just staring at him, she had never seen that look on his face before that reminiscent wonder.

"So when did he change?" Carol asked, he blinked away the memory looking down at her again.

"Didn't really, he was always rude to everybody else, and he always had a bit of a temper, but not long after our birthdays Pa pulled him aside offered him a hit a the good stuff and he ain't been right since." Daryl explained, Carol frowned scooting up on top of him kissing his chest

"Well, I hope he can find a place here in the mean time I'm not sleepy yet." Carol told him, Daryl chuckled sitting up so he could taste her skin.

"Me too." He whispered then he fell back with a groan as she slid him into her riding him with unimaginable skill. He would never get used to how tight she was, he brought his hand between them playing with the sensitive nub spreading her lips so it rubbed against him with every thrust.

When she came the second time Daryl lost it, she was so wet and so tight he didn't even know ho he held it together that long. Then something occurred to him that he should have thought of much sooner.

"I ain't gonna knock ya up am I... I don't want ya endin up like olive oil?" Daryl asked, she giggled despite how horrible his name for a dead woman they should respect was shaking her head.

"I doubt it, Ed liked to hit me in the stomach, the doctor told me Sophia was a wonder, I guess it could happen, but there's less risk then there is using a condom." She told him, his brow furrowed with a heavy frown.

"Wish I could a killed that fucker." Daryl growled holding her to him, she could feel her eyes burning with tears what if he had wanted a kid, would it drive him off.

"I'm sorry, I wish I could, I mean you probably want your own..." She was having a hard time speaking without sobbing, he lifted her chin up to look at him.

"You knock that shit off right now woman, I love ya and I already got a beautiful baby girl out there, I'm glad I can't do that to ya. Now get some sleep woman I'm sure we'll have to let merle out tomorrow so we need to be rested." Daryl told her, not to mention he had the morning watch so he'd be up at the ass crack a dawn.

"What are we going to do about the governor?" Rick had come back from his recent stint in crazy town and was now asking a very valid question.

"He may not even come after us." Hershel put forward, before anyone could say anything Merle laughed, loudly.

"I want some a what he's smokin, the Governor ain't the kind a guy that leaves ya be, hell he's probably out there now gettin ready to roll out the welcome wagons. He knows where we're at and he all kinds a crazy." Merle put in, the Dixon's all knew he was right, but Glenn frowned.

"Why should we trust anything you say, you put a gun in my face when you found us, tortured us." Glen asked, Merle closed his eyes for a moment to keep out the guilt.

"Hell China man I've got a gun shoved in my face more times than I can count since this all went down. In fact I'd be more afraid a the man who comes walkin up with his hands in his pockets, a man like the Governor. All I'm sayin is ya'll are out manned, out gunned, and ya ain't got the balls to do what ya gotta." Merle told them, Glenn relented to that truth, he'd seen the Governor and something about him just didn't sit right.

"Then what would you suggest?" Rick asked while Michone sat quietly observing this group determining whether they were worth staying with.

"I suggest we cut half a dozen holes in their fences real quiet like then toss a jimmied car alarm right in the middle draw in every walker from here to Texas let 'em fight that out then hit 'em when they're weak." Merle said, and fuck if it wasn't a good plan unless you accounted for the innocent folk in Woodbury who would probably die.

"We got cars comin up!" Axle yelled and everyone grabbed a weapon and ran for the yard just as a big white van blew through the fence a man got out hurrying towards the back. He took a bullet in the head from Merle's rifle just as he unlocked it. Kiry had armed him, she knew the group didn't trust him, but she did.

Merle had the gun resting on his metal stump while he worked it with the other hand, he was ignoring the walkers and hitting only living people with accuracy most two-handed people couldn't dream of. Kiry, Carol, and Sophia were taking out the walker's that got close. Eventually they ran off, but they knew they'd be back sooner rather than later.

Kiry handed Merle a knife that would fit into his stump and Daryl and his family walked forward circling up and clearing the yard so they could put the fence back up. It didn't take long then Merle started looting the people they'd killed for their guns and ammo while Rick and Glenn started cutting razor wire from the inner fence to set up vehicle traps.

"We need to set up the prison, make it a death trap, hook those alarms up so we could trip 'em when we wanted. Really fortify this place, we can't move with the baby." Kiry said, and she was right they needed better defenses. Kiry left to find Merle he was good with this kind of stuff.

"Daryl, I'm taking Michonee and Carl we're headed back to my department, I went through the weapons there but I couldn't take it all. We need those weapons." Rick told him, Daryl nodded looking over at where Kiry was talking to Merle about how they could secure the prison.

"It's a good call, me and mine'll the prison rigged by the time ya get back. Kiry wants us to set up traps and maybe perimeter alarms so we'll know if they get close. This Merle may actually be useful for." Daryl told him, Rick nodded looking over at where Beth now stood holding his daughter.

"Whatever it takes." Rick told him turning to leave, Daryl sighed things were gonna get hairy around here with Merle and the governor shaking things up. Carol's soft hands snaked around his middle and she kissed his shoulder.

"We'll make it safe here, then we'll deal with that prick." Carol reassured him, he chuckled turning so he could kiss her passionately.

"Ew, I'm so not old enough to see that kind of stuff Daddy!" Sophia groaned, Carol chuckled as Daryl blushed rubbing the back of his neck and hanging his head.

"Fuck can't keep my hands off ya." he grumbled, Kiry could hear Carol laughing at him and it drew her attention from the planing.

"What's he see in that old beat up piece a..." Merle stared, Kiry slapped him upside the head with a glower.

"She ain't hardly older than you asshole, and she's a good lady, and she loves him isn't that enough?" Kiry asked him, he looked her up and down. She was dead serious so he wouldn't press it.

"Just sayin I didn't think she was his type is all don't get you panties in a twist sugar." He told her, she stepped towards him invading his space making his skin hum with the awareness of her.

"Good, because Carol and 'Phia are my family now, you remember what I do when people are rude to my family don't you?" She asked her lips ghosting over the shell of his ear sending a shiver straight to his cock. He couldn't resist pulling her flush against him running his lips over the hollow of her neck.

"I remember lots of things sugar." He whispered, Kiry ran her hand down his chest to cup his rather large bulge with a grin.

"Me too, most of it bad." She whispered squeezing him just a little too hard, he snarled batting her away, she had done this before, but it was as far as she'd ever let him go. He let it be though because when he'd first got into the hard shit he'd done some shit. He closed his eyes briefly against the memory.

_Kiry was sitting on the bed in her little apartment waiting, Merle was supposed to be over so they could watch movies. She was had a shift off from the dojo and she thought maybe tonight she'd finally give him what he wanted. _

She was only eighteen but this was already her third job and it was the only one she'd ever liked. Merle didn't bother to knock, he never did though he was trying to catch her changing, but he had yet to do so.

He was lit out of his mind on something Skeeter had given him instead of half his cut and when he saw her there on the bed in nothing but a spaghetti strap and shorts that were barely there sharpening her knives a lust filled growl escaped his lips.

"Fuck sugar look at that tight little ass!" Merle whistled, Kiry smirked getting off the bed and walking towards him alluringly, but her steps faltered when she saw the look in his eyes. His cold glazed over look that she'd seen before.

"God dammit Merle you're fucking high! On my only day off too!" Kiry was appalled, but Merle didn't even notice he stalked over to her with a hungry look in his eyes. Kiry took a step back, she didn't like him like this.

"Come 'er sugar, you got somethin 'ol Merle needs!" He growled invading her space, he could see she was shaking, later he could remember that she was scared of him but in that moment all he saw was her body. He pushed her onto her little bed ripping her shirt clean off, she yelped and he followed her down.

"Merle, stop!" Kiry pleaded, her grabbed her breast hard enough to bruise her his other hand pulling her head back by the hair holding her in a crushing kiss that ground her lips into her teeth hard enough to draw blood.

Kiry reached out finding one of her knives and stabbed him in the side pushing him off when he reared back clutching the seeping wound. She got to her feet tears spilling down her cheeks and a small trickle of blood from her lips.

"GET OUT!" She screamed raising the knife at him and pulling what was left of her shirt over her chest. He scrambled to his feet leaving her alone. The next day he had a hard time remembering what had happened he'd tried to go see her to figure it out and to this day nearly a decade later the look in her eyes when she said she never wanted to see him again broke his heart.

"We ain't got all day let's get this shit started." Merle grumbled his hand going to the scar on his side. Kiry watched him as he turned to go start setting things up his hand on the scar from when she was eighteen, to his credit he hadn't pressured her for nine years because of what he did.


	13. Chapter 13

**This chapter has some Carl/Sophia smut you've been warned.**

She followed him remembering the year when she hadn't even spoken to him, it had been the longest year of her life. She'd finally broke down and called him because she was trapped in the bathroom of a hotel room with her current boyfriend and when she'd told him she wouldn't sleep with him he'd gone crazy normally that wouldn't have been a problem, but he was waving a gun around.

Merle had been there in fifteen minutes and even though he took a bullet to the shoulder he'd beaten Jeff into hamburger. She sighed maybe here at the end of the world her could stay clean so she could finally be with the real Merle.

Sophia watched the grown ups they were all worried about Merle, but she wasn't he seemed to genuinely want to be here with his family. Ya he was rude, but so was Daryl before he'd saved her and even for a while after that. Maybe Merle just needed a way to prove himself she'd keep an eye on that.

Carl walked over he had his gun that his father had found someone had drilled out the center of an aluminum bat to use as a silencer. He was starting to look kind of rugged even in that doofy hat of his.

"Hey me and my dad are takin off to get guns and things with Michone." Carl told her shifting awkwardly in front of her, she took a step forward hugging him. He wrapped his arms around her readily.

"Be safe okay, and hey see if you can find some swords I'd bet Michone could teach us how to use them." She told him, he chuckled letting her go after just a little too long, Sophia wished he didn't have to it felt nice to be close with someone.

"Here keep an eye on things here, we don't know if Merle's really on our side yet." He told her handing her his keys, she frowned shaking her head, he could be such a dick sometimes.

"Get out a here Grimmes." She told him, he sighed he'd known she wouldn't like it, but it had to be said. After they left everybody seemed to be doing something, setting up car traps, or wires around the perimeter that would rattle cans in the guard tower and the cell block, or rigging up traps so all they'd need to do was set them if something happened.

Merle was inside getting a drink for himself and Kiry when he heard it a scream and not no regular scream either. Sophia was in there and she heard it too so she went straight to Merle.

"That came from the tombs, someone must have found their way down there." Sophia said looking at the door to the tombs, Merle looked down at her with a shrug.

"I reckon so." He said evenly taking a drink, Sophia scowled up at him she knew he couldn't just not care.

"Well I'm going to help them." She told him hurrying off towards the door, Merle grabbed her around the waist with his good arm.

"Oh no little firecracker, that was a death scream whoever's down there is beyond help." Merle told her, she slapped his hand and he let her go not really wanting to keep a hold of her anyway.

"I'm going, if you don't want me getting hurt then you should come too, but I don't care either way I'm going." She told him opening the door and rushing off. Merle cursed under his breath the kid wasn't so bad and Daryl would beat his ass if he lost the little one so he ran after her with nothing but his knife on his stump.

He'd give it to the firecracker she could kill like a pro and she moved quick and quiet like his brother. Merle's feet had always been heavy, but he could do alright if he wanted to, they found where the scream came from easy enough. It was a group of five a couple a niggers and some scrawny suburb types.

"Well, we ain't got all fuckin day!" Merle said when they saw him, Sophia had taken out three walkers around them and was now snatching up her arrows. Merle lead the way back enjoying the kill each time he drove his knife through the eye of a walker.

They got them up to the area right before the cell block locking the way to the tombs since Sophia had the keys. The group looked the two of them over not sure what to make of a kid and a gimp.

"Thank you, we were lost down there." The big back guys said doing his best to be civil, Merle grunted backing up to the gate to the cell.

"We couldn't leave you down there, but you'll understand our caution." Sophia said sweetly ducking under Merle's arm who closed the gate and let Sophia lock it.

"No, come on you don't gotta do this!" The black man who seemed to be the leader said, Sophia held up a hand in a placating gesture.

"It's just a precaution, we'll get the rest of our group and when Rick gets back we'll make a decision. Are any of you bitten?" Sophia asked, they all looked at the white woman and they both knew the answer.

"She was bit a while ago." There leader said, Sophia nodded looking over at Merle.

"Would you like us to take care of it?" She asked, the to scrawny men looked up in horror and revilement.

"No, we got it." The big guy told her, she nodded looking back to Merle.

"Will you go tell Daddy?" Sophia asked Merle sighed when did he become this little girl's keeper. Fuck he needed to get his balls back from where ever he left them.

"Don't get too close firecracker." Merle told her heading off to get Daryl and the group picking up the abandon water for Kiry. Sophia grabbed some water and a small thing of crackers going over to the gate.

"Step back so I can give you these." She told them so they did as they were told. Merle looked over at Daryl who was helping string alarm wire well twine really towards the cell block.

"About damn time." Kiry huffed taking her water he waited till Daryl was within ear shot before he spoke.

"We got a bit of a situation, me and the little firecracker picked up some strays in the tombs." Merle told her, her eyes went wide, Merle wasn't one to help people he didn't know, Sophia must have gone down there and he'd had to follow.

"Did you just say my little girl was in the tombs?" Carol asked horrified that Sophia had been in so much danger and she hadn't even known.

"Ya, kid dragged my ass down there not a care in the fucking world and we end up bringing back five fuckin people." Merle answered, Daryl took her hand trying to keep her calm and lead her towards the prison.

"Next time Merle try to keep my kid out a harms way." Daryl growled as he passed Merle, Merle shook his head.

"Ain't even you kid, and that's what I was fuckin doin." Merle grumbled, Kiry chuckled slapping his ass on the way by.

"Come on gimpy lets get the others." Kiry told him, he would never understand what had happened here that changed his brother so much, apparently dipping his wick had really given him a set a balls, fuck maybe that's what he needed with Kiry because he sure as shit wasn't on top there.

Tyreese and his people seemed alright as far as the group was concerned, after they'd put the woman down Merle had confirmed that he didn't know them from Woodbury so they were waiting for Rick so they could make the call. Plus they wanted Michone to look them over see if she knew them.

"We could use them, we need more people if we're gonna take on the governor." Glen said quietly they were at the opposite end of the cell block whispering. They needed to make a decision as a group so they had something to tell Rick.

"Ain't sure I trust them scrawny fucks, somethin's off about that older one, Niggers seem just fine though to scared a livin out there to make any trouble." Merle put in, the whole group shot him a look for his choice of words.

"I don't know they all seem alright to me." Beth offered from her spot where she was rocking little Judith to sleep.

"No I think Merle's right, he seems like the type to take what he wants without a care for who it hurts." Kiry put in, Glenn snorted looking between her and Merle.

"Guess you'd know the type." He shot, before any of them could move to defend him Sophia piped up.

"Hey watch it short round that's my uncle you're talkin about." She told him and they all burst out laughing, she sounded so much like Daryl.

"Fuck, I love ya so much kid." Daryl told her ruffling her hair, she beamed even Glenn laughed Merle had never seen Daryl look so happy. Maybe he could keep his mouth shut and make things here work, most of them looked at him like he was the devil, but he had his family, and the old gimp seemed alright.

"So we'll keep them around and keep a close eye on the father and son, is that our decision?" Hershel asked when the laughter died down, they all seemed to agree sending a group out was practically murder.

"I'll see if Axle don't mid sharin his cell block." Daryl told them going to see Axle who was on watch right now. Everyone got up and headed back to do what they had been doing before the interruption.

Carol Kiry and Sophia were going to let them out so they could bury there dead, and to test them because if they were going to try anything it would be when there only guards were two small women and a child.

"Hello, my name is Carol, this is my daughter Sophia, and my sister Kiry. We're going to let you out so you can bury your fallen." Carol told them holding a shovel, Tyreese looked at the group and nodded.

"Thank you." He said backing away from the gate so Sophia could unlock it. Kiry looked them over carefully to make sure they weren't going to try anything.

"Would you like help, we've buried a couple of our own already." Carol asked leading them through the prison towards the little graveyard they had.

"No thank you, we'll take care of our own." Tyreese told her, she smiled sweetly picking up a cross that Maggie had tied together and left there for them.

"You can put her here." She said laying the cross over an empty section on the other side of T-dog.

"Are you people gonna let us stay?" Tyreese asked as the two other men set the woman down gently.

"As of right now it seems likely, we've been having some trouble with some folks in these part which may affect whether you want to stay or not, but you seem like decent folk. I'll be over with my husband if you need anything." She told them and all three women left them to their business, Merle was watching them from the shadows not far away.

"We should act now, take them by surprise they only have two men that look capable and one only has one hand we don't know how many are out with this Rick guy." The father said, Merle smirked he'd known that one would be trouble, but now he'd get to gauge the others.

"What's wrong with you, these people saved us, fed us, they're giving us a plot in their graveyard for Christ sake. Why would we do anything?" Tyreese asked slamming his shovel into the dirt.

"They're all civil right now, but what about when this Rick gets back and they actually have to make a choice. What happens if they kick us out on our asses, then what, you gonna protect us like you protected my wife?" He asked with a venom in his voice that implied there was more to be mad about then just his wife getting bit.

"He won't throw us out if we don't give him a reason to. Now stop talkin like that!" Tyreese told him, Merle stepped out of the shadows with a shit eating grin.

"Ya fuck stain stop talkin like that." Merle told him making them all jump right out of their skin. Not one of them had known anyone was anywhere near them and now they didn't know how he was going to react.

"He didn't mean anything by it, honest we don't want any trouble." Tyreese told him, Merle smirked showing his teeth just a hair too much.

"Oh we're gonna get on good, you just keep you're little bitch there in check." Merle told Tyreese looking at the other man, who looked as though he wanted to lash out but Merle was already walking away laughing to himself.

"Now do you see they're gonna kick us the fuck out?" He snarled, Tyreese threw him a look of pure loathing.

"Shut the fuck up man, I'm not putting my sister's or even your son's life in danger because you're an idiot." Merle chuckled going over to Daryl who was with Kiry and Carol now talking about something.

"That skinny white stain is lookin for trouble, but the nigger is keepin him in check for now." Merle laughed, it was fun to have other people for the group to look at in fear besides himself.

"Figures, we'll keep an eye on 'em." Daryl said his gaze flicking to the people on the hill, Carol took his hand squeezing it reassuringly.

"Look at you all domesticated and shit, next thing I know you're gonna be knittin baby blanket with your balls in your fuckin purse you pussy." Merle commented, Kiry scowled at him but this time it was Carol who stepped up.

"How long has one woman ever wanted to be with you?" She asked simply, Merle cocked an eyebrow but shrugged it off.

"That one's been pinin over me her whole fuckin life" Merle smirked Kiry shook her head giving her the really answer.

"A month and a half that the longest I've ever been able to stand being with you." She told them, Merle frowned.

"A month and a half, so really you, the big manly man can't keep a woman satisfied enough to stick around and you have the gall to insult your brother because he get's to go to bed with a woman ever night, because he wakes up to breakfast cooked for him and his clothes cleaned and patch, because someone loves him enough to deal with you just so they can be with him. Maybe you're the pussy here." She told him leaning up on her toes and pulling Daryl into a long heated kiss before she turned on her heals and left to find Sophia letting Daryl smack her ass as she walked away.

"Fuck baby brother, maybe she ain't so bad." Merle said watching her walk away, Daryl was three shades of red but he was proud of Carol for holding her own against Merle and Kiry was just laughing out right.

"You boys should see your faces." Kiry chuckled going over to Merle and leading him off by the hand back to there work. Axle had been okay with sharing so once the woman was buried they took the little group back to cell block D and stuffed the father and son in a cell that locked for the night Tyreese and his sister got to pick where they slept.

They let Axle sleep half the day so he could watch them that night and Rick was back by the morning giving a very inspiring pep talk about how we had spilled blood for the prison and we'd do it again if they posed a threat but until then they could stay, and he explained what was happening with the governor.

Daryl's family mostly avoided them, while they planned for the governor's attack. A few days after they arrived another car pulled up to the gates. Carl could see them all greeting Andrea, Carl smiled turning away from the window to go greet her.

He passed Kiry and Sophia's cell looking in to see if she knew Andrea was here or not, instead he saw Sophia struggling to get into a sports bra. He had noticed her changing for a long while now, but he'd never seen her so naked. He was grinding against his zipper, this had been getting worse for a while.

He rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably hurrying off towards the back offices, he'd been getting painful hard ons since he was almost thirteen sometimes even waking up with a mess. He'd taken to sleeping with a rag and coming back here to release some pressure.

He closed the door pulling his rag out of his back pocket and setting his hat on the desk. He flopped onto the couch pulling himself out and remembering how Sophia looked in next to nothing. Soon he was getting close and Sophia's name escaped his lips.

Sophia had gotten her shirt on and seen Carl hurrying off, she soothed her clothes down grabbing her weapons since Daryl had told her never to go anywhere without them and followed him. She lost him back by the offices so she stood there listening. Daryl had told her if she kept here ears and eyes open she could find anyone.

"Sophia!" Carl's muffled voice called out from an office, Sophia smirked, ya she was a good tracker. He must have seen her though, she went in to see what he wanted pushing the door open without knocking.

Carl had heard the nob turn, but it was much too late to do anything about it so he just covered himself with his rag. As soon as he saw her face he finished trying not to let her see him, but the look of shock on her face told him she knew what he was doing.

"Oh my God Grimmes my Daddy's gonna kill you." She laughed, Carl's contorted expression of pleasure turned to horror and embarrassment.

"You... you can't tell him! Please, he'll cut my nuts off!" Carl pleaded, she chuckled king him over blushing deeply. She had never seen a guys thing before, well technically she still hadn't, but he was doing that.

"What's in it for me?" She asked, he scrambled to his feet the rag fell to the floor and Sophia got an eye full before he hurriedly tucked himself back into his pants.

"What do you want? Anything!" Carl told her, she smirked oh this could be good, what did she want? She could make him do her chores or take her watch, but she didn't really mind those things. She looked him over blushing, he was kind of cute like that his hair ruffled and his hat off.

"Anything?" She asked biting her lip nearly too embarrassed to even think about asking what she had in mind.

"Anything, just don't tell Daryl!" He pleaded, she took a step closer to him her blush deepening while she shifted awkwardly.

"I guess I could keep it secret for a um... a kiss." She whispered the last part, Carl twitched painfully against his zipper. He'd been through this scene more than a few times in his head while he was down here, he'd wanted to kiss her for a long time.

"I... I could... I could do that." He swallowed hard trying to keep his voice from cracking as he stepped towards her.

"I... I've never..." She started, he reached out putting his hands on her hips awkwardly pulling her gently to him.

"Me either." He whispered one hand going to her cheek he leaned in his lips brushing lightly against hers. They were both awkward and inexperienced, but it set their hearts racing and Carl knew he'd be down here again sooner than he'd planned.

"I... that was... we should get back." Sophia mumbled turning away when the kiss ended her whole face fire engine red.

"Ya, we don't wanna miss Andrea." Carl put in picking up his rag and tucking it into his back pocket before they both practically ran back to the cell block.


	14. Chapter 14

**A little bit of Merle/Kiry smut enjoy!**

Andrea wanted to set up peace talks, Merle was adamant that it would never work, but Rick wouldn't rule it out until he had seen the Governor himself. So tomorrow Rick, Daryl, and Hershel would go to the silo's and the rest of them just got to wait.

Carl and Sophia showed up in time to show Andrea off, both of them blushing and not looking at the other. Kiry wasn't surprised when Sophia was waiting for her in their cell, but she would never have guessed what she wanted to talk about.

"Hey kid, what's up?" Kiry asked hopping up into the top bunk Sophia looked at the open cell door awkwardly biting on her thumb nail the way Daryl did when he was nervous.

"I kind a wanted to talk to you about... um... sex and stuff." She whispered her face was so red she'd have almost felt bad for the girl if the idea of having this talk wasn't so very uncomfortable for her too.

"Why, I mean, why wouldn't you ask your Momma?" Kiry asked hopping down to sit on the bottom bunk with Sophia so they could talk quietly.

"Momma said I was too young last time and I can't ask Daddy 'cause well he's Daddy, I thought about asking Hershel but I think he'd tell Momma. I could ask Merle I guess but I don't know how he'd react or if he'd tell me anything useful or just dirty. You were the only person I knew wouldn't tell my parents." Sophia whispered, Kiry pinched the bridge of her nose not sure how much she could help if she were honest she'd never actually had sex.

"I'll do y best kid, but I'm in no way an expert." She told her, Sophia beamed still blushing, but glad her plan hadn't backfired.

"Thank's aunt Kiry!" She said hugging her, Kiry ruffled her hair in an affectionate gesture.

"So what do you wanna know?" Kiry asked, Sophia sat up straighter looking around before she spoke.

"How do you know when you love someone, and how are you supposed to kiss a guy, and how do you go from kissing to sex, and how old should you be when you have sex, and what is sex exactly, and does it feel good cause people say it does but it just sounds gross, and is it better to do it with someone you love and..." Sophia started rattling off her hushed questions a mile a minute and Kiry put her hand over her mouth to silence her.

"One at a time kid, I guess you know you love someone when you know if they died you'd die inside too, like the whole world would be just that much worse because they weren't in it. Now what was next?" Kiry explained how she felt about Merle she hopped it was what love felt like, she thought it was.

"How do you kiss a guy?" She told her, Kiry slumped back against the wall covering her face with her hand she felt like she was in high school again.

"I guess just follow his lead, and do what feels good, when I was in school some girls used to practice on their hands." Kiry tried she really wasn't very good at this stuff she'd learned to kiss from Merle so she didn't have the awkward first kiss, it had been perfect.

_"Merle, I... I um..." Kiry started fidgeting uncomfortably in front of Merle who was splayed out on her bed waiting for Daryl to bring back the food. _

"Spit it out girly." He told her letting his hand drop from his face so he could look at her despite the dull throbbing of his hangover.

"I was thinking maybe... well I have this dance coming up and..." She just couldn't force the words from her mouth.

"What you need money to buy yourself somethin nice for it?" He asked getting up off the bed to get his wallet out of his back pocket.

"No! I... Dammit it Merle I want you to go with me!" She finally managed to spit it out and the stunned look on Merle's face had her terrified.

"You don't gotta if... I know it's lame but I thought..." Her back pedaling was interrupted by Merle stepping into her space his rough hand going to her cheek.

"I'd love to sugar." That was the first time he'd called her that and even the words made her heart flutter with him so close. He leaned forward kissing her softly, Merle was such a rough man in every way, but when he touched her she was taken in by how gentle he was. She practically swooned it was so perfect.

"I guess you asked then." Daryl mumbled setting the food down, Merle made no move to stop kissing her, but Kiry turned away blushing.

"Ya, he's going." Kiry mumbled, Merle smirked flopping back down on the bed that victorious little smirk never leaving his lips.

"How do you go from kissing to sex then?" She asked, Kiry frowned she had no idea, she' never made it that far.

"I suppose it should just flow with all the touching and the... you know what I'm gonna get ya a book. One with all the answers 'cause I'm just talkin out my ass right now. I'll go on a run right now, stay." Kiry told her and hurried out of the cell, Sophia didn't know why grown ups were always so uncomfortable talking about sex, they did it all the time, she'd heard Daryl and her Mamma once or twice and she almost always had to see Maggie and Glenn sneaking off for it.

"Merle!" Kiry called out towards his cell, Merle was in the middle of rubbing one out since it was pretty much all he could do in his fucking cell, but he tucked himself back in painfully, since he didn't really fit at this juncture.

"What can I do for you sugar, or to you." He smirked when Kiry's eyes flicked to the hard on that was hard to miss.

"We're goin on a run, doc needs some medical books and stuff for the baby since he ain't ever had to doctor one." She figured it sounded like a good excuse and knew Merle wouldn't care enough to question it if it got him outside.

"As long as I get a gun sugar you can take me anywhere." Merle told her with a leer, Kiry rolled her eyes, he was such a pig.

"Good here, keep up." Kiry told him unlocking a cell and handing him a pistol, they weren't questioned until they got to the gate and then she just said they were going on a run. Kiry felt eyes on her while they drove away from the prison, but she dismissed it as Merle.

"So where are we headed sugar?" Merle asked when I stopped the car at the edge of a little town. Kiry quietly took out walkers leading them towards the rather large library pointing to it to make her point. He chuckled ramming his knife through the skull of one walker.

They got inside and cleared the space out she tried to grab stuff while Merle was busy with walkers, but so far all she'd found were a half-dozen copies of Cosmo in the magazine rack. She looked around spotting the section she needed to look through.

"Grab those medical books I'm gonna check the upstairs offices, see if there's anything we could use." Merle nodded, Kiry didn't know why but his focus was definitely else where, she shrugged it off as a good thing and went to find the books. As soon as she left Merle hurried over to the bag that had been dropped behind a chair.

It was a plastic bag filled with God knows what kind a drugs most of which were labeled but Merle knew from his own stash that didn't mean that was what they were. He recognized one right away though. It was meth, he looked up to where Kiry had gone he'd been clean for over a year now. He knew he didn't need them, but he tucked them into his bag just in case then went and stuffed a bunch of medical books that looked important in there.

Kiry found the books she wanted then covered them up with school books and went to search the offices. She was in the second office not finding much more than power bars and half bottles of bourbon when the door closed behind her.

"I'm so glad they let me follow your sweet ass from the prison, look at you all young and fresh." The voice was deep and had a bit of a lilt to it, but Kiry didn't move she stood perfectly still her hand on the knife at her hip. She heard a gun cock and she was glad she hadn't moved yet.

"What do you think that red neck piece a shit's gonna save you? No you're gonna take your knives off nice and slow or I'm gonna blow your brains out on that wall." He told her, she swallowed hard, she couldn't see him so she couldn't tell if he was watching her so she did what she was told and very slowly started pulling knives out of the obvious places.

"That's a good girl now take your clothes off, all of them I don't want no surprises." Kiry cursed under her breath pulling off her clothes, she had made it 27 years without getting raped despite all the men who had tried and now some piece of shit thought he could manage what they couldn't she was gonna fucking kill this guy.

She stood there naked holding herself as if to conserve her modesty, but really she had a knife between her breasts and she needed to grab it so he wouldn't see it. She clutched it tightly knowing if he saw it she'd be out of weapons and now that she could see the red-head holding a gun on her she knew she'd need one, he was twice her size at least.

"Good now come here!" He ordered, she walked over to him, he slapped her hand away from her chest grabbing her brusingly and she brought her blade down through the side of his head the same time one came through his face.

"Surprise mother fucker!" Kiry growled and he fell to the ground, Merle pulled off his coat wrapping it around her since the second knife had been his.

"Jesus fuckin Christ, he's one a the Governor's men." Merle snarled not at all pleased with how far this had gone before he found her.

"Took ya long enough." Kiry whispered her voice breaking, Merle pulled her to his chest soothing her long brown hair down gently. He'd held her before after times like this, but no one had ever gotten this far. He could feel her shaking and if he were honest so was he. The thought of someone other then himself touching her made his blood run cold.

"You're alright, I'm right here Kiry." He whispered kissing the top of her head, he could feel her tears soaking his shirt. He only ever used her name to comfort her or when they were intimate, but hearing him say it always made her feel better.

"We should get back, I think they're watching the prison." She whispered, he hushed her tilting her chin up to look at him.

"You alright?" He asked genuinely concerned, she managed a broken smile and instead of letting her lie he leaned in kissing her softly the way he had when they were younger. It wasn't demanding, he didn't expect anything from her he just wanted to kiss her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck causing his coat to fall to the ground, he'd seen her naked once or twice before, but never while she was letting him touch her. He was instantly painfully hard. He picked her up his rough hand on her ass and his stump around her waist and she wrapped her legs around him.

He stepped over the dead body bringing her to the desk deepening the kiss but still not demanding anything, he fully expected her to stop him. She had no intention of doing so however, one too many times she had almost lot what she was saving for him. No they'd waited long enough, Merle would never be perfect and she'd always worry she'd lose him to drugs or his own stupidity, but he'd saved her again and she loved him.

"We should get back." Merle managed when he forced himself to stop kissing her, she looked him over slipping her hand between them.

"Merle, I need you." She whispered, just the words had him moaning, he still couldn't believe it when she unzipped him and ripped his shirt over his head.

"Kiry, ah... we ain't gotta... you just almost... if you ain't ready." Merle managed between kissing her from her neck to her nipples. She leaned her head back letting him get better access while his good hand snaked between them circling her clit.

"Merle please!" Kiry pleaded and that was all he needed, he dropped to his knees burying his face between her thighs making her see stars with his tongue until she was panting his name. He got to his feet his fingers bringing her to the edge before he pushed into her.

She was so tight that when he buried himself in her he almost thought he'd hit her maiden head, but that couldn't be. There was no way she was a virgin, he'd never even been with a virgin in his life so how would he know? She was already coming when he'd slid himself in and it was almost too much for him to take.

"Fuck Kiry, you're so tight." Merle growled she had bitten down on her hand to keep from crying out, he was so big and it hurt a little. She was glad he had to stop so he wouldn't lose himself it gave her time to get used to his size.

Merle never stopped the ministration of his thumb though and when he started moving again Kiry was half way back to the edge. He was very experienced and he wasn't afraid to use every trick he had. When he finally finished they were both sweating and moaning the other's name. Kiry hadn't expected her first time to be so good, but then Merle had a way of either blowing you away or handing you crushing disappointment.

"Was that... was that your first?" Merle asked looking down at the smear of blood on his cock, about that moment it hit him that he hadn't worn a condom either.

"Ya, oh, way better than I thought it would be." She moaned, Merle wanted to panic, but seeing her there in his arms leaning against him with a huge contented grin made it hard to think about anything but her body.

"I didn't use any..." He groaned knowing he had to tell her, she shook her head against his bare chest.

"It shouldn't matter." She mumbled her eyes drifting closed, he took her word for it and reached over grabbing her shirt. She wasn't much for girly things, but she could at least keep track enough of her own body to know that it shouldn't matter.

"We gotta get back." He grumbled, he had no desire to pull out of her and get back to that prison, but he knew Daryl would get back soon and he'd worry if they were gone.

"Mm, I don't wanna." She mumbled letting her legs drop and he slipped out of her causing her to whimper at his absence. Just that little sound had his cock twitching again, she was so beautiful, he shook his head. One fucking lay and already she had him pussy whipped they needed to go back so he could clear his head.

"We ain't got all day sugar." He told her slapping her hot little ass when she finally slid off the desk to get dressed. She smiled collecting all her things, Merle pulled his shirt and coat on watching her. His mind kept going back to this being her first time, it should have been on a bed or at least not right after they killed a guy. There was a bruise on her perfect breasts already and it made his chest hurt.

"Best get these back to the doc." Merle mumbled trying to force himself not to think about it, he didn't know what it was about her that turned him into such a pussy, but he had to keep it together.

"I love you Merle, but you need to learn to be patient." Kiry told him, it wasn't the first time she'd said she loved him, but now he felt like his heart was on his sleeve, like she could see right through him and know that he loved her. It made him shift uncomfortably, he'd never said it to her and the part of him that wanted to as making it hard to breath.

He turned searching the corpse for anything they could use taking his gun, some ammo and a radio with a code pad, military grade shit for encoding your channel. It was good-looking at the dead guy helped clear his head, but when Kiry came up behind him sliding her arms around his shoulders and kissing his cheek it all flooded back.

"Come on Dixon we ain't got all day." She joked leaving him there trying to force himself to calm down. He didn't know how to deal with this shit, he was no good at relationships, or feelings but now he was actually scared he'd fuck it up. She was the only person he'd ever wanted to be with in the long-term and it terrified him.


	15. Chapter 15

**Sorry for the wait I hope you like it!**

Merle took his bag straight to his cell stuffing the bag under his pillow and dropping a nudey mag on his bed as cover for why he'd brought the bag up here before he brought it to the doc. He came back to his cell without a word hanging his blanket over the bars and flopping down on the bed taking out a hand full of pills.

He leaned back looking at them, he knew they'd make the tightness in his chest stop, they'd make the world work again, but they might also push Kiry away. Who was he kidding they'd definitely push her away which was why he was worried in the first place. He spent a long time staring at that hand full of pills.

"FUCK!" He snarled throwing them at the wall with all his strength, he couldn't even do this anymore. He needed her, he always had, but now he was hooked, she was his new drug. He got up cleaning up the pills and hid the bag again.

Kiry went straight back to her cell blushing and unkempt she tossed the bag on Sophia's bed and Sophia went digging through them excitedly. Kiry went to her bunk burying her face in her pillow with a stupid grin.

Carol was on watch waiting for Daryl to come back she was pissed that they hadn't let her come with, but she knew why and so now mostly she was just worried that it was taking them so long, Kiry and Merle had gone on a run later and still come back before them. Though from the looks of it, it had been more about sex then supplies.

When the cars finally pulled up Carol was almost painfully relieved, she ran down to open the gates for them. They all looked somber, so Carol just shut the gate and waited for them to speak so she could know what was happening.

Daryl got out of the car and walked straight over to her kissing her full on the lips as if he'd been afraid she'd be gone when he got back. He didn't care who saw him, hell Merle himself could come out here and rag on him and it wouldn't stop him, he needed her.

Rick cleared his throat, and they both jumped apart blushing deeply, he knew they had things to talk about he wasn't a stupid man the look on Rick's fave had gone from bad to worse when he'd come out of that meeting. Rick nodded to the prison now that he had hugged his son and held his daughter he was ready to spill the bad news.

They gathered Hershel and Kiry and went up to Merle's cell it couldn't be a good sign that Rick thought Merle should be included in the decision making process. When Kiry got to Merle's cell a blush crept across her cheeks and she couldn't look at Merle who couldn't take his eyes off her. What the hell had happened while they were gone?

"The Governor has offered to leave us be if we give him Michone." Rick blurted out they were all a little stunned.

"That's as good as killing her our selves." Hershel told them, and they all knew he was right. even still Daryl might consider it if he thought that the Governor would actually leave them be, but it was unlikely.

"Don't give a fuck if all he asked for was a breath mint, that fucker's settin a trap that you assholes are gonna waltz right into." Merle put in his eyes flicking away from Kiry just long enough to sweep a disapproving glance over them. When his eyes landed on Kiry again and his glance softened Daryl had always seen him do that but this was different.

"He's right, we need a better plan." Daryl said looking at Merle suspiciously, then over at Kiry who looked away from him her face turning red. Carol squeezed his hand gently, he looked down at her with a small smile. It didn't matter how he was feeling looking at her always made him smile.

"Then what do you suggest?" Rick asked, they all looked to Daryl, but he and Kiry looked at Merle they could already see the wheels turning in his head, Kiry looked away when he caught her eye. Merle was good at this kind of thing. he had a military mind, and was maybe too egar to use it.

"Draw in a herd, get 'em all riled pick 'em off when they start shootin half of 'em'll be dead by the time they figure it. clear it out, problem solved." Merle smirked, Rick scowled mulling the plan over in his head, it was a lot like his plan to cut holes in the fence, but there were no innocents to hurt here.

"How would we draw them in, the herd?" Rick asked, Merle's smirk grew larger but he didn't get a chance to answer.

"Cars! Crank up the radios, or let the alarms go off then drive them right through them." Sophia offered up from behind Kiry, they all turned to her. Carol wore a mask of sadness when she looked at her little girl, she was almost fourteen and she was growing up as a hunter far too fast.

Daryl had a look that nearly mirrored hers mixed with pride, he was glad she was smart, that she could protect herself, but she shouldn't have to know things like that at her age. Merle on the other hand was grinning like a fool.

"That's right firecracker, tumble out of 'em with a bit a space between ya and the walkers those fuck's won't ever know what hit 'em." Merle elaborated, Rick nodded it was a good plan, Carol let go of Daryl and went to Sophia.

"Sophia sweety will you go check on Judith for me?" Carol asked, Sophia scowled and in that moment she looked very much like Daryl's daughter.

"I'm not a kid, I can protect you and all of my family. I don't wanna be stuck with Beth and Judith all the time I'm not helpless like them. Hell I could hold my own better than you Hershel but you still get to be part of this shit!" Sophia growled, Merle laughed, but the glare Carol and Daryl shot him cut it short, ya that little firecracker was a Dixon alright.

"Sophia Anne don't you dare talk to me like that, you are a child whether you like it or not! You may have all the skill of any one of us, but you don't have the experience, as hard as it is to believe we want to keep you safe so that you can be a kid for as long as you can! Now you march your butt downstairs and help with the things that need doing here and be grateful that people love you enough to try and shield you from this world!" Carol scolded her the little group was all a bit shocked they'd almost never heard her raise her voice.

Sophia shot a pleading look at Daryl who just smiled shaking his head almost imperceptibly. She turned to Merle next who just shrugged he had no power in this new dynamic least of all over that woman. He could sort of see how Daryl could have fallen for her. Kiry was looking at Merle so she was no help, Sophia huffed and left to do as she was told.

"So it's decided we set a trap around there trap, but who do we take?" Hershel asked, this time Daryl was the one with the answer.

We split into pairs on to shoot one to keep an eye out for walkers, me and Carol, Merle and Kiry, Rick and Michone everyone else stays here, I got a feelin he might wanna take out those we leave behind on this." Daryl told them, Merle frowned he would have never thought of that, sure he would have known it was a risk but it just wasn't like him to try and keep people who weren't his kin safe.

"He's right keep someone on watch at all times, Hershel we'll pick a fall back place if anything happens. Kiry could you ask Michone if she'd be willing to come along?" Rick asked, Kiry nodded taking the excuse to get away from Merle's leering gaze. Not that she didn't like the look, but it made her stomach flip and her mouth go dry just remembering what he could do to her.

She didn't need to be having thoughts like that around the group, she couldn't get all doe eyed over him now just because she knew what it was like to be with him. whenever she started to act like they were a real couple he would bolt. No she had to let him come to her or the big lug would never learn.

Michone was sitting on the perch carefully running a whet stone over her blade, it was a fine blade she'd give her that. Michone took good care of it, Kiry liked swords, but there was no good place to hide one and Merle could never steal one for her.

"Hey, where'd you get that thing?" Kiry asked taking her favorite knife out and sitting down next to her to run her worn down diamond whet stone over it with careful precision that she could do in her sleep.

"Is that really what you came up here to ask?" Michone countered, Kiry looked over at her not needing her eyes to do this work.

"No they wanna know if you're up for killing the Governor, but I'm sort of a cultraphiliac by nature." Kiry told her tucking the whet stone back in her pocket, she didn't want to over sharpen it.

"Well you can tell them yes, and I picked this up an abandon yard sale." She told her, it sounded like a joke, but maybe, Kiry had gotten some of her best knives from yard sales.

"Good find, You should talk to Rick he's the man with the plan, we're headed out tomorrow." Kiry told her getting up, Michone looked up from her sword for the first time since she'd come over there.

"You're lucky to still have your family, keep them close." She she whispered, Kiry frowned who had she lost to feel so strongly about that?

"I always do." Kiry answered with a bitter-sweet smile turning away trying to decide what she would do with her day since she wasn't on watch. She went back towards her cell which meant passing Merle's.

"Come on in here sugar." Merle said leaning out the door to his cell to snake his arms around her waist. She couldn't help but smile as a blush crept across her cheeks, she leaned up kissing him chastely.

He smirked deepening the kiss and pulling her into his cell, his hand ghosted up to her neck then back down to her rear. She had to bite his lip to keep from moaning, but she knew this couldn't happen again quite yet so she pushed him away gently.

"You gonna hold out n 'ol Merle now?" He asked backing up as soon as she made any action that suggested she didn't want this.

"Yep, Merle I love you, I always have and as much fun as fucking around with you is I won't start this again if you're just gonna break my heart again. So when you're ready to be with me for real I'm right here." She told him turning to leave, he wrapped his arms around her waist leaning his head on her shoulder kissing her neck.

"I do wanna be with ya woman, can't ya tell?" His voice was a low rumble against the shell of her ear as he ground his hard on against her rear. Her eyes fell shut just enjoying him for a moment before she composed herself.

"That's not what I mean and you know it Merle, I've told you more times then I can count that I love you, how do you even feel about me? You've never even told me you like me, you say that I'm hot, and that you want me, but I just I need all of you Merle. You can't half ass this anymore Merle it's all or nothing." She whispered slipping out of his grasp and retreating to her room. Merle watched her go those words stuck in the back of his throat.

He did love her, he wanted to be with her, but he couldn't make himself admit it to her because if he did he'd have to admit it to himself. admit that she was important to him, that she could hurt him, that he had a weakness for her. He would die for her and that scared the shit out of him, she was his hardest addiction, one he'd never kick.

Sophia watched as Carl had a similar argument with Rick as she'd had with her mom, maybe once they left her and Carl could clear out more of the tombs. They'd gotten to the kitchen and some offices, but there had to be a shower down there. They'd have to see that they could handle themselves if they found the showers.

She waited until they all piled into the cars and Glen shut the gate behind them before she went over and snagged Carl's hand. She tugged him towards the prison while Glen and Maggie went to take watch.

"Where are we going?" Carl asked when she yanked him towards the prison, Sophia smirked back at him, but she didn't say anything until they were inside and away from the prying ears of the adults.

"We are going to find ourselves the showers, then they'll have to admit we can help." Sophia told him, his face contorted into a mask of disbelief.

"Ya, or they'll kick our asses for taking stupid risks while they're gone!" Carl told her, she rolled her eyes, he could be such a wuss.

"Don't go soft on me Grimmes they're never gonna respect us if we just sit around and let them protect us they'll do it for ever. Get your balls out a your purse so we can get this done." Sophia snipped snatching the keys from his belt, Carl swiped at her hand, but she was faster, he was getting tall and gangly now so she had the better reflexes.

"Soph come on, don't! Come on you know I gotta follow you if you go are you really gonna get me into this?" He pleaded, she sighed walking back towards him as if she might actually listen to him. She walked right into his personal space until she was only inches from his face, he could feel himself twitch painfully against his jeans, was she going to kiss him again? She leaned up past his cheek.

"Carl I know you're worried, but are you really gonna make me go down there all alone!" She whispered against his ear leaning back and giving him her best puppy dog eyes, he sighed shaking his head.

"Fine, but this is on you." He whispered back, and a huge smile spread across her lips which made it all worth it. She turned and opened the gate and he followed her into the tombs, he just really hoped nothing went wrong, they were only fourteen and there parents would kill them.

Daryl's legs were starting to cramp he'd been crouching there too long, what was taking them so long? Really how long could it take to gather up a herd, what if something had happened to them? Kiry was always careful, but Merle was a hot head and he couldn't help but worry.

"I'm sure they're fine, who knows how long it could take to gather up enough walkers." Carol whispered squeezing his shoulder gently, he looked over his shoulder with a small worried smile.

"Ya." He mumbled covering her hand with his squeezing it gently, more to reassure himself then her. He wasn't used to having to worry about losing people, it'd always been them against the world, but it was getting more litteral by the hour and he had so many more people to protect now.

Just before he could say anything else he heard the distant sound of 'Living Dead Girl' boy Rob Zombie blaring from a car radio coming towards them. The cars were followed by a herd of the walking dead, as soon as the Governor's men started shooting and the other car rolled in Daryl took a shot right at the Governor's head, but another man took it instead.

Kiry rolled out of the car knife in hand, as soon as she hit her feet she had to put down one of the faster walkers. She snatched her knife back and ran for the spot where she was supposed to meet Merle. When she got into the building Merle was already kneeling down by the window with his rifle resting on his bum hand and a walker shambling up on him. Kiry whipped her blade through the base of it's skull and it fell to the ground with a thump.

"'Bout time you got here sugar." He called back to her quietly popping of another round, Kiry rolled her eyes and fell in behind him. She took out her share of the living and dead before things started to settle.

She heard something off to the left and turned to take down the walker that had nocked something onto the floor. Before she could turn around a pair of wirey hand wrapped around her waist and before she fought back a cold steel barrel was pressed painfully into her temple.

"You could a had it all you brainless hick, I would have let you keep your family all you had to do was kill one nigger bitch, but you couldn't even do that you worthless piece a trash! Well now I'm gonna make you watch while I kill your woman, then I'm gonna let you bleed out in the dirt you fucking pig!" The governor snarled digging thegun harder into her temple until athin line of blood trickled down to her chin.

Merle only had enough time to look back and see the scared look on her face while the governo had a hold of her before he lost his shit. He saw red throwing himself at the bastard tackling him, right through Kiry.

She struggled to roll out of the way as a shot rang out, Merle growled slamming his fist into the man's face until a pair of dead hands pulled him off trying to sink it's teeth into his shoulder. He rounded long enough to run the blade on his prosthetic through it's eye then turned to do the same to the Governor, but he was gone and in his place were three walkers shambling at him.

It took him longer then he would have liked to take them down, he turned to see why Kiry was slacking on the kills and what he saw stopped his heart and froze his blood. There was Kiry laying on the ground with a puddle of her own blood seeping out from her head.

Merle wanted to run to her, to see if she was alive, but she wasn't moving, there was no rise and fall of her chest. She wasn't breathing and he couldn't move, he tried to take a step towards her and he fell to his knees.

He knew he was sobbing, but he couldn't feel the tears, he couldn't even make himself breath right. He crawled towards her slowly forcing himself to breath, his whole body was shaking when he reached out to brush the blood matted hair from her face.

She looked so peaceful and so pale, he couldn't see a bullet hole through all her matted hair. He couldn't make his hand stop shaking while he tried to check for a bullet wound, and when his fingers found the wet bleeding wound he lost it.

He pulled away emptying his stomach painfully for a long time before he could pull him self back to Kiry, no... Kiry's body. A painful sob escaped his lip as he turned back to her, she was gone, he had finally found her again and now she was gone.


	16. Chapter 16

**Sorry if this chapter is a bit short, but I didn't want to leave you folks on such an awful cliff hanger. Tell me what you think though.**

He pulled her onto his lap trying to push the hair from her face and his thick calloused fingers were already covered in her blood and it smeared across her cheeks. He could tasted the bile raising in his throat she couldn't be dead.

"K...Kiry, you... you can't be... I ain't even had a chance to... to tell you I... I love you!" He sobbed holding her to his chest tightly trying to make himself breath.

"I... I knew you... you loved me Dixon." She choked out, he sobbed clutching her tighter to his chest. He didn't care that he had just given up his biggest secret, he didn't care that he was crying like a pussy bitch, she was alive!

He kissed her desperately she kissed him back just as desperate for a long moment, his mouth was sour, and had an undercut of iron. She pulled away gently and he scooped her up like she weighed nothing carrying her carefully.

"You... you okay?" She whispered, she was feeling light-headed and dizzy but she was still worried about him he was pale and his face was streaked with tears.

"Pipe down Sugar, you're hurt and ya ain't even got the sense to be worried about your self." Merle grumbled shouldering out of the building with his rifle over his shoulder, Rick was on his way towards them when he saw Kiry in his arms.

"What happened, is she hurt?" He called out, but every one heard the under current to the question, is she bitten?

"That fuckin pussy ass fuck stain got a shot off at her, clipped her in the head, ain't got time to flap our fuckin jaws, gotta get her back to Hershel!" Merle called out loudly making her head throb, Daryl's mouth fell open at the sight of them.

"Come on get her in here!" Daryl said rushing to the car and yanking the door open, Carol climbed in first so she could tend to Kiry's head while they drove. Daryl had the pedal to the floor the whole way back, and what he saw in the rearview once again had him wondering what had changed between them and it settled the panic that clutched at his heart.

Sophia wrenched her arrow out of the eye of yet another walker, she was pretty sure there were more walkers now, or maybe last time Merle had done most of the heavy lifting. Carl was doing his best to help, but they didn't have the ammo for him to waste so he was using his throwing knives.

He cursed under his breath as he pulled on knife from the base of a walkers skull and another from its shoulder. This was a lot harder than he'd thought it would be, and it was making him feel like a pussy, he wished he could use his gun he was a better shot then her if he was using his gun.

Sophia motioned to the corner with the hand signals that Kiry had tought them, apparently Merle had learned them before he was dishonorably discharged for sleeping with a generals wife. Carl sighed going to the corner and checking right as he was instructed, then she came up after him to check left.

She made a little gasp, and the look on her face had him turning to see what she was seeing. There were a dozen or more walkers milling in the hall, and that tiny sound that had escaped her lips had been enough to draw one of their attention.

She grabbed his arm and ran down the hall to the right, his first step was a bit of a stumble out from under the jaws of that first walker. As soon as they were actually running he turned around takeing dow five with his six shots. Sophia turned doing her best to run and fire her bow. It took a few shots to get the hang of it.

"In their!" Carl called out seeing a closed gate he tossed Sophia the keys and with his now reloaded gun turned and took out anything that got close until she opened the door. Carl slammed the door closed behind them backing up hurriedly.

"That was close!" Sophia said as hysterical laughter bubbled up in her throat, Carl laughed with her he had been just as scared that they wouldn't make it. There laughter was cut short though as a low moan caught their ear in the darkness.

Carl pulled out a knife and Sophia had an arrow knocked, the light from their flashlight hit the dead thing and Sophia loosed her arrow killing it, but just as it struck its mark the shuffling feet of another had her spinning around just barely in time to wedge her bow into its mouth stopping it from biting down on her.

Carl raised his knife, but a pair of dead hands on his shoulder stopped him, he tried to spin around, but the thing was twice his size and it knocked him to the ground. He jammed his knife into its eye, but it was still crushing down on him while Sophia struggled with the walker on her bow.

It was too big, too strong and it was pushing her into the floor, Carl squirmed out from under the corpse scrambling to his feet. He grabbed the things shoulders trying to throw it off, Sophia dropped her bow trusting him completely and snatching her knife quickly and ramming it into the things eye.

Carl threw the dead thing off her gasping for air he fell to his knees next to her pulling her up off the ground looking her over worriedly. She had the same worried look in her eyes as she looked him over.

"Were you..." She started panic still gripping her heart as they held each other at arm's length.

"No." He told her here question was reflected in his eyes.

"Me either." She told him, he sighed in relief and pulled her to him kissing her desperately. It was panicked and rough, neither of them knew what to do, but they both needed the comfort. Sophia flicked her tongue out over his bottom lip trying to figure out how this whole kissing thin worked.

"Don't tell your dad I did that. I like my ass and I don't want an arrow in it." Carl whispered, Sophia laughed despite the blush creeping across her cheeks. He had kissed her and she hadn't even asked, that had to mean he liked her.

"Promise, where are we?" She asked looking around trying to change the subject off of her total embarrassment. Carl looked around so he could maybe answer her shining the flashlight around the room.

"I think we found the showers." He said releasing her so they could get up and secure the room. Sophia pulled her knife out of the walker and they searched the room, there were no more walkers, but they did find a door they made sure was locked up.

"Do you think it works?" Sophia asked turning one of the knobs, it shuddered and groaned for a long moment.

"It doesn't look promising." Carl grumbled smacking the wall with the side of his fist and as he did a thick brown sludge of liquid shuddered out onto Carl. He yelped ducking out from under it quickly, Sophia laughed covering her mouth to keep herself quiet.

"Nice one Grimmes, guess we know why we call ya that now." Sophia joked he pulled his hat off cursing under his breath as the sludge turned to water. Carl stuck the rag that she had seen over his lap not too long ago under the water and went about cleaning off his hat.

"Joke all you want Dixon I love this hat." He growled, she smiled at that. She liked being called a Dixon, she felt like a Dixon and really he was her dad now.

"Give it here." Sophia told him rolling her eyes, she took the hat and cleaned it with his rag while he tried to clean off his shirt. He finally gave up trying to clean it while he had it on and stripped it off to wash it.

"Well it's cold, but it works." Carl told her, Sophia blushed trying not to look at Carl. He was starting to get some real muscle definition and it made her flush, being a teenager was hard.

"Good as new." She mumbled handing him his hat back, he flipped it over in his hands before putting it safely back on his head. He tucked his damp shirt into his belt after it was wrung out then started washing his face. Sophia washed up too.

"Thanks. So, now we're cleaner and relatively safe, all that's left is to get back to the cell block." Carl told her, she looked back at the door they'd come from there were still walkers trying to get through. There was another door, but they had no idea how to get back through there.

"Ya, I'd say we try that way, but we don't know if it even connects. We should see if we can't put those ones down through the door." She offered, taking her knife back out, Carl nodded and they went over to the gate to start killing the ones that were pushing up against the bars.

Carol had washed off the wound and was holding Merle's wadded up shirt to her head now while she was curled up in Merle's lap. She was having a hard time keeping her eyes open and her stomach was churning unpleasantly.

"Ugh Merle, I don't feel very good." She moaned, he rubbed her shoulder gently looking stressed as he looked over at Carol.

"She gonna be alright doc?" Merle asked his eyes pleading with her for good news, Carol wished she had some. They needed to get back soon, she was losing a lot of blood and Carol didn't have the equipment to stitch her up here. She would need blood soon too and Carol didn't even know how to do that.

"She should be fine as long as we get her back soon, she needs stitches and blood. What's her blood type?" Carol asked trying to keep the look of concern off her f`ace, they didn't need anything else to worry about.

"AB, lucky can take it all." Merle grumbled, Kiry laughed rubbing her hand over Merle's chest.

"I know you want back inside me Merle, but you're startin to sound desperate lover." She joked letting her eyes drift shut, Merle wanted to growl at her he didn't like that she knew how much pull she had over him, but he was too scared he'd never get the chance to regret it to be mad.

"Don't care if you pester me till my hair falls out sweet girl as long as you keep your eyes open for me." He whispered into her ear, she smiled even though she was worried she might not make it. She never imagined he would admit that he loved her, she thought maybe he'd show her, but now she knew.

"Ya big softy." Kiry whispered as the car jerked to a stop outside the gate, as soon as they were inside the fence Daryl punched it to the other side of the yard, Merle was opening the door before he could even stop the car.

Merle got her to Hershel in record time, he was in the cell block looking for something when Merle set Kiry on the table. Hershel stopped whatever he was doing to turn and look at him.

"Come on Doc, ain't got all day Kiry got shot. Carol says the girl needs stitches and blood. I'm here to lend a helping vain." Merle offered holding out his arm since he was already shirtless.

"Sit there, Bethany get me my bag and the transfusion supplies." Hershel ordered pulling Merle's shirt away long enough to look at the wound.

"She's gonna be fine." Carol told him wrapping her arms around his waist, Daryl soothed his fingers through her Kiry there in Merle's arms covered in blood had damn near floored him. He'd lost her before, but it was nothing like seeing her in his arms dieing.

"We almost lost her, could a been you... I... I ain't never had anythin to lose." Daryl mumbled letting his head fall into the crook of her neck. She ran one hand up his back letting her fingers twine through his hair and let the other settle at his belt line.

"You not ever gonna lose me." She whispered into his neck, she could feel him smile against her skin.

"Let's go find 'Phia see how it went while we were away." He changed the subject, she nodded letting him go, his hand slid down her arm leaving goose bumps in its wake until his fingers laced with hers.

She would never get used to how it felt to touch him. They took their time getting inside, neither one of them wanted to see Kiry laid out on a table getting stitched up. Beth was helping her father while Michone held Judith and talked to Rick. Merle was sitting next to Hershel his arm stretched over Kiry with a needle in his arm.

It was the first time Daryl had seen him with a needle in him that didn't make him cringe. They looked around for Sophia, but she wasn't in the room and really she should be with Kiry right now.

"Where's Sophia?" Carol asked Hershel, Daryl got a sinking feeling in his gut.

"I don't know, I was looking for her when Merle came in." Hershel said apologetically while he carefully stitched up Kiry's head.


	17. Chapter 17

"What do you mean you don't know, did she leave the cell block? Where the hell could she have gone!?" Carol was all but yelling now, Daryl would have laughed if he wasn't just as worried, Merle did laugh from his spot at the table.

"Calm down Mamma bear, they're probably off bein kids." Merle chuckled feeling a heavy weight lift off his chest now that he knew Kiry would pull through this. Daryl shot him a growl, but Carol shocked them all by being the one to snap.

"Shut your mouth Merle Dixon, my baby girl is missing again in a world full of the walking dead and you're making fucking jokes. They have to be in the tombs we'll go down now, and by God when you're done here, you, Rick, and Michone will be right behind us!" Carol nearly screamed at him storming towards the gate to the tombs.

"Calm down darlin, we're gonna find her." Daryl told her when she got to the gate, the ony problem was they didn't have the keys.

"Have you seen Carl?" Rick asked as he hurried up to them, Daryl growled looking over at the man.

"For fuck sake did your boy run off into the tombs with our girl? I don't see why your boys always hangin off her, one a these days he's likely to get an arrow in the ass!" Daryl snarled, Carol couldn't help but chuckle at him even as scared as she was for Sophia and Carl at least she wasn't alone.

"Stop your chortalin woman let's go find our girl so I can shoot that boy, Rick once Merle's done savin my sister drag his ass down with ya, Michone too. You three can check out what we miss." Daryl growled snagging Rick's keys throwing the gate open and charging off to find Sophia closing, but not locking the gate behind them.

It wasn't hard to follow the bodies once they got out of the section that had been cleared and locked down. There weren't that many walkers roaming around and a few new gates were locked up.

"They came down here to find somethin, why the hell would they be so stupid?" Daryl growled pulling an arrow out of one of the walkers and handing it to Carol. He crouched down by the one next to it poking at the hole in its head.

"What?" Carol asked when she saw the worried look cross his expression, she crouched down next to him looking at the bullet hole in the things head.

"This was Carl, boy shot half a dozen or so here, but there ain't another bullet wound in the bunch till here. They got overwhelmed or the boy wouldn't a used his ammo." Daryl explained, Carol nodded seein the same thing he did. Her worried expression was probably worse than his, her baby was out there and she was in danger.

"Then we best hurry." Carol said covering his hand with hers, he squeezed her hand gently before they continued to follow the path of corpses. They got to the end of the hall and were greeted by the moans of the dead. One fell while they watched and they caught a glimpse of Carl behind the small herd.

Carol sighed losing an arrow at them, Daryl joined her and it only took a few seconds to take them down. They hurried forward as Carl unlocked the gate, Sophia was standing behind him looking nervous. Carol ran through th gate scooping up Sophia in a painful hug, Daryl was right behind them looming over them worriedly, Carol rolled her eyes and pulled him into the hug.

"I'm so glad you're okay." Carol sniffled, Sophia wormed her way out of the hug uncomfortably.

"Of course I am Mom I'm a big girl I can take care of myself. We were just about to come back, and look we found the showers. You can't keep treating us like children." Sophia told her, Carol's look of relief hardened into a mask of calm.

"That's why you came down here so we'd stop treating you like a child?" She asked calmly, Sophia eyed her for a second she at least had the good sense to look worried, Daryl had some choice words for her, but he wanted to se where this went first she was Carol's daughter after all.

"Well, ya. We can take care of ourselves." Sophia told her, Carol took a deep breath so she wouldn't yell.

"You're right, you can obviously handle your self, and you act like a responsible adult. Oh wait, no you got yourself and Carl nearly killed, worried the entire group and forced us to take a risk with our lives to come find you. You acted like a spoiled brat, and as long as you keep it up we'll always treat you like a child. Now Sophia Anne you move your ass back to the cell block!" Carol told her, the last part turned to a yell and Sophia looked to Daryl for help but he just smirked enjoying watching Carol practically read his mind.

"Come on Soph." Carl tried when she saw that he was the only friendly face in the crowd.

"Don't think you're off the hook boy, you may yet get an arrow in your ass, now get!" Daryl scowled at him he'd bet good money it was that boy's idea to come down here, he was way too comfy with his girl.

"Sorry sir." He whimpered hurrying off back towards the cell block, Sophia rolled her eyes but followed him. They were both looking pretty abysmal by the time they made it back, Rick was just opening the gate when they rounded the corner. Everything had been locked up behind them.

"Oh thank God, where'd you find 'em?" Rick asked hugging his son, Daryl glared at the boy's back.

"Your boy there had 'em findin the showers." Daryl told him, Rick pulled back to look at his son. Carl looked sheepish, but Sophia shook his head.

"It was my idea to go down there, Carl just didn't want me to go alone. I'm sorry okay, but I just wanted to prove that we could be helpful. Everyone treats us like kids, and I'm really sorry about running off without telling anyone, but that doesn't change the fact that we can help." Sophia said looking thoroughly scolded, she looked back at Carol and Daryl and the look of disappointment she saw there had her eyes brimming with tears. She had been so sure they would be proud of her for finding the showers.

"We should keep in mind that you can take care of yourselves, but you have to understand that you are still kids and helping doesn't always mean running off into danger without a plan." Rick told them, they sighed going off to their cells feeling very scolded Daryl followed Sophia.

"Thank you Rick, how's Kiry?" Carol asked, looking over at where she had been, Rick sighed looking up towards Merle's cell.

"She's resting, Merle was supposed to be taking her up toa bed, I suspect he might a put her in his cell instead of her own." Rick told her, she nodded going to find Kiry and make sure she was okay.

"Daddy, is Mom really mad at me, I didn't mean to disappoint you guys?" Sophia asked looking up at him from her bunk with those same damn puppy dog eyes her Mamma gave him from time to time, so much for him scolding her, these girls had him whipped.

"We ain't mad at ya peach, ya just scared us is all. Ya gotta remember that your Mamma ain't used to you bein all grown up and I sure as hell ain't used to it. Ya gotta give us time to adjust." Daryl told her, she hopped off the her bunk running over and hugging him, he froze for a second like he always did, then he wrapped his arms around her.

"Thanks for not being mad, I just... please don't be mad at Carl either. It was my idea and I still think you guys treat us too much like kids." Sophia told him, he chuckled tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Simmer for a bit Phia, we'll work on gettin you Mamma used to you helpin out." Daryl told her, she sighed accepting this.

Kiry was in and out now, but she had been stitched up and given blood and Hershel said she'd be okay so he was trying not to worry over her like the pussy she was turning him into. She struggled to open her heavy lids so she could look at him, she had always liked doing dangerous things because the only time Merle would act like he cared was when she needed him.

"I thought you needed to help look for Sophia ya big softy." Kiry whispered, Merle brushed a strand of hair from her face trying to keep his calm smile in place.

"Na, that fire cracker can take care a her damn self, you're the one bleedin all over like a bitch." He joked, she reached up and took his hand becoming serious for a moment.

"You can't take it back ya know, what you said." Kiry whispered, Merle shook his head. Did she really think so little of him that he would take back that he loved her, sure he might not say it again, but that didn't make it any less true.

"Shut up girl, I ain't never said any thing I don't mean, while I'm clean." He had to add the last bit since he knew he said some stupid shit while he was on a fix. Kiry smiled which made it totally worth the embarrassment.

"Good, 'Cause I'd hate to have to kick your ass if you took it back." She told him, he chuckled shaking his head. He looked towards the door then leaned down and kissed her gently, it was that sweet kind of kiss that he only gave her when he knew they were alone.

The kind of kiss that had kept her coming back to him, for such a rough man his lips were surprisingly soft. They ghosted over hers with the softest touch making her heart race and turned her blood to fire. She laced her fingers together behind his neck pulling him closer so she could deepen the kiss.

"Ehem, sorry to interrupt, I just wanted to let you know that we found Sophia and Carl, so you ah... you're off the hook for the whole search party thing. She dragged him along to find the showers." Carol told them looking rather embarrassed that she'd walked in on their moment, but it wasn't like Kiry hadn't done the same to her before.

"Sophia and Carl were missing? Were any of you gonna tell me that?" Kiry asked leaning over so she could look up at her. Merle just shrugged, while Carol looked a little sheepish.

"Of course we would have told you, once you no longer passed out every few minutes or as evident once we found them." Carol offered, Kiry laughed laying back down how come she was always the one with the head wounds.

"So is she in trouble?" Kiry asked reaching out and snagging Merles had so she could run her fingers over the back of it. He stiffened uncomfortably a blush creeping across his neck, he wasn't used to this, hell he could fuck her in front of the whole group and he wouldn't be as uncomfortable as he was now.

"She's gonna be stuck with a heavy load of clothes washing and food making for a while but mostly no." Carol told her taking in the hilarity that was Merle trying not to squirm while she held his hand.

"Good, the girl just wants to help." Kiry said letting her hand drift up his arm then back down his chest.

"Well I'll leave you two alone." Carol mumbled running away from where Kiry obviously wanted to let her hand go.

"You don't have to turn three shades a red every time I touch you in a none sexual way in front of people. Ya know most people have the oposite reaction ya know freezing up if someone grabbed their cock in front of people, but not you hell I bet you would prefer it if I sucked your cock rather than held your hand." Kiry grumbled, Merle smirked seeing an opportunity to change the subject.

"You're right there, I'd prefer you suck my cock over most anythin sugar." Merle told her, she rolled her eyes smacking his arm.

"Well deal big guy 'cause your stuck with me now." She told him scooting over and pulling him down into the bed and laying on his shoulder. He sighed holding her closer, he could handle this lovely crap as long as it was just them.

He loved her and he enjoyed the snuggles as much of a pussy as that made him he did, he liked having her close. He pressed a kiss into her hair closing his eyes, he was far too comfortable here with her.

Three days that's how long it took for Sophia to get off dish duty and how long it took before they stopped locking their cell every night. They didn't trust them, he knew it was their own fault, but he couldn't live like this.

They had to do something and he had the perfect plan, he'd heard them talk about it, the Governor was coming to play. If he could find them and make a deal with them, he only needed one person spared. Fuck Tyreese and his sister they could burn for all he cared so long as his family was okay.

He snuck a gun and a bat and went through the tombs, he'd had to pilfer the tools to pick the locks but it wasn't too much of a challenge. He'd meet the Governor in the middle and help him kill them all.

He just hopped they wouldn't notice him gone before the morning they might ruin his plans. No they were smart, but he had time so long as he didn't have to go all the way to Woodbury he would be fine.

Sophia whipped her hands back and forth trying to dry them, they were all pruney from all the stupid laundry. Ugh laundry if she went the rest of her life without ever washing one more pair of dirty underwear that weren't even hers it would be too many.

She had washed Carl's dirty underwear and Merle's and her dad's could this get any worse. She picked up the basket so she could go hang the grossness, and headed outside at least Kiry was back up and around and in her bunk.

Merle was way crazy lately too, he avoided Kiry mostly by taking watch, but when they were in the same room there was crazy huge amounts of tension. She was just glad to have her roomy, it wasn't like she could talk to her parents about Carl, not that she'd talked to Kiry about it but she could.

Plus mom and dad were getting all groiny all the time, they were like teenagers running off together at all hours. She set the basket down and grabbing the clothes pins.

"Hey could you use some help?" Carl asked leaning over and grabbed one of the shirts from the basket.

"Ya, thanks. Laundry sucks." Sophia mumbled handing him the clothes pins so he could help her.

Daryl growled from his spot leaning against the wall, he had hunted with Carol all morning they'd bagged a dear which was mostly luck since they didn't do that much hunting. He didn't like the way that boy looked at Sophia.

"What are you growling at?" Carol asked handing him a bottle of water. He took it gratefully swigging down half the bottle.

"That boy is gonna get his ass beat if he keeps eyeing our girl like that." Daryl told her, she chuckled wrapping her arms around his waist.

"He's a good kid, she could do a lot worse than him." Carol told him, he scowled down at her, how could she look so calm.

"She shouldn't be doing anything, the girls only fourteen! She ain't hardly even old enough to think about that shit!" Daryl snarled, which had her working hard to hide her smirk, he was cute when he was being over protective.

"She's a teenager Daryl the more you disprove the more fun she'll have disobeying, I know I used to be one, you too I hear." Carol told him, he sighed giving Carl one last glare before he looked back to Carol.

"Fine, let's go get that damn Dear cut up before I make things worse." Daryl grumbled letting her lead him away.


	18. Chapter 18

**Sorry for the lateness of this my computer crashed, but with any luck it's fixed now enjoy!**

He just hopped they wouldn't notice him gone before the morning they might ruin his plans. No they were smart, but he had time so long as he didn't have to go all the way to Woodbury he would be fine.

Sophia whipped her hands back and forth trying to dry them, they were all pruney from all the stupid laundry. Ugh laundry if she went the rest of her life without ever washing one more pair of dirty underwear that weren't even hers it would be too many.

She had washed Carl's dirty underwear and Merle's and her dad's could this get any worse. She picked up the basket so she could go hang the grossness, and headed outside at least Kiry was back up and around and in her bunk.

Merle was way crazy lately too, he avoided Kiry mostly by taking watch, but when they were in the same room there was crazy huge amounts of tension. She was just glad to have her roomy, it wasn't like she could talk to her parents about Carl, not that she'd talked to Kiry about it but she could.

Plus mom and dad were getting all groiny all the time, they were like teenagers running off together at all hours. She set the basket down and grabbing the clothes pins.

"Hey could you use some help?" Carl asked leaning over and grabbed one of the shirts from the basket.

"Ya, thanks. Laundry sucks." Sophia mumbled handing him the clothes pins so he could help her.

Daryl growled from his spot leaning against the wall, he had been hunting with Carol all morning they'd bagged a dear which was mostly luck since they didn't do that much hunting. He didn't like the way that boy looked at Sophia.

"What are you growling at?" Carol asked handing him a bottle of water. He took it gratefully swigging down half the bottle.

"That boy is gonna get his ass beat if he keeps eyeing our girl like that." Daryl told her, she chuckled wrapping her arms around his waist.

"He's a good kid, she could do a lot worse than him." Carol told him, he scowled down at her, how could she look so calm.

"She shouldn't be doing anything, the girls only fourteen! She ain't hardly even old enough to think about that shit!" Daryl snarled, which had her working hard to hide her smirk, he was cute when he was being over protective.

"She's a teenager Daryl the more you disprove the more fun she'll have disobeying, I know I used to be one, you too I hear." Carol told him, he sighed giving Carl one last glare before he looked back to Carol.

"Fine, let's go get that damn dear cut up before I make things worse." Daryl grumbled letting her lead him away.

"I don't think dad likes you much Grimmes." Sophia mumbled as she watched her mom take him inside, Carl chuckled.

"Ya well if he knew I kissed you I wouldn't be walking, I'd be laid up in my bunk while Hershel pulled an arrow out a my ass." Carl told her, she laughed tossing a shirt at him which he caught before it hit him in the face.

"Don't wig Grimes, Dad's not that bad. I mean sure he wouldn't like it, but he wouldn't actually shoot you." Sophia told him, he shook his head he wasn't nearly as sure he would remain whole if Daryl found out about it.

"If you say so." Carl mumbled hanging the wet shirt she'd thrown at him up on the clothes line they'd rigged up.

"You could do it again if you wanted ya know." Sophia mumbled turning red, he looked around the shirt to see if she was serious feeling more than a little shocked.

"Ya?" He asked closing the distance between them, she looked up at him feeling embarrassed and nodded. He reached out and ran his hand down her arm until she caught his fingers twining them with hers.

"Maybe I'll take ya up on that." He whispered his other hand catching her free hand so he could pull her closer, then looked around before he dropped his hands. Sophia sighed looking around to see what had him backing off, Hershel seemed to be watching them.

"One a these days you're gonna have to grow a pair Grimmes." Sophia mumbled going back to her work, he growled how could she not get how very dead he would be if they got caught, they were only fourteen as the adults liked to remind them and Daryl would only see him violating his daughter.

Kiry was livid how dare he ignore her, she had told him she wouldn't put up with this shit but he was such a fucking pussy. Nobody paid too much attention as she stormed out towards the tower. He had been perfect while she was all injured and in his bed, he hadn't even been that dirty, but ass soon as Hershel had given her the go ahead to move around he'd bolted.

She slammed the door to the tower open she wanted him to know she was coming. Merle grimaced as soon as he saw her storming through the yard, but the sound of that door slamming open below him had him jumping like the pussy he was.

He hadn't meant to avoid her at first, he'd just needed a minute on his own to sort his head out and deal with the fact that she knew he loved her. The longer he'd thought about it the more freaked out he'd gotten. She'd never known he cared before, he had shown her his weak spot and given her a knife.

He'd seen how his mom was with his dad, Daryl never had he still loved their mom, but she had destroyed Buck. Used his love for her to rip him down whenever she could and it had turned him into the kind of guy who cut on his own kids and lit the fire that had killed her.

He couldn't let that happen, he would never do that to a kid and he sure as hell would never hurt Kiry, no matter what she did. He just needed to play it cool gain a little distance so she would know she couldn't control him.

"What the fuck is wrong with you Merle Dixon!" Kiry yelled slamming open the door. Merle took a deep breath steeling himself for the inevitable pain.

"Ain't nothin wrong with me sugar, what are you chortlin on about?" He asked knowing the answer, she looked him up and down for a minute her anger growing every time her eyes landed on his cocky grin. She walked right over and punched him right in the face.

"That's for avoiding me! You are such an idiot, all I've ever wanted was to be with you. I don't want to use you or hurt you, I just wanna love you but you keep runnin off whenever I try. What is it, do you really not wanna be with me like that, cause you just have to tell me. I'm a big girl I can take it. For once in your God damn life Merle just be honest with me!" She was nearly sobbing by the end, he hadn't meant to hurt her, that's what he was trying to avoid.

"What do ya want me to say?" He asked rubbing the spot under his eye that would no doubt be a hell of a shiner tomorrow.

"I just wanna know if I've wasted my life chasin after you Merle, am I ever gonna get to be with you or is this as good as it gets?" She pleaded her yells had turned to deperate whispers and they broke Merle's heart.

"I... I ain't got an answer for that sugar, I don't... All this shit is new for me... Ain't never... It was always you... Ain't never been nobody else, so... So I ain't never been with anybody I... I love before, so ya gotta be patient girl. 'Cause I know I'll fuck it up... A lot!" He whispered, that sad desperate look on Kiry's face turned to a sweet smile and it made the whole shitty speech worth it.

"Patience I got." She told him closing the distance between them and reaching up to touch his eye, she really needed to figure out a way to get through to him that was less violent.

"Sorry for that." She whispered leaning up on her toes to place a gentle kiss just under his eye, he smirked grabbing the back of her neck sweetly.

"Least ya didn't stab me again." He joked kissing her with that same rough desperate kiss they'd always shared that always amazed her at how soft his touch coud be while he was so rough, she pulled away gently so he stopped he wouldn't push her even if she was the best lay he'd ever had.

She didn't stop though she kissed him again but this time it was soft, gentle, and full of love. The kind of kiss he'd only seen recently with his brother and his woman, the kind of kiss that shattered ever ounce of resistance he had. He didn't care if she wrecked him as long as he got to have her.

Phillip smirked, he'd been ready for a lot of losses in this fight but that kid was giving him a much better option as long as it wasn't a trap. Which is why he'd snapped the twerps neck and had Martinez dispose of him. He'd promised to spare the boy's father and he would, but he hadn't promised to leave him alive.

The kid had told him about there defenses and the tombs, oh Rick would be in for quite the surprise He new after the welcome he'd gotten from them at the meet that he would expect him to attack, but this kid had given him a way in and better yet told him how many he'd have to deal with and what kind of defenses they had.

He'd send in a half a dozen through the front to make them think they knew what was coming all the while he would lead a team up the back and cut off their retreat. Oh ya this would be fun he'd kill Michone slow, make Andrea watch he'd gotten his fun out of her.

He'd keep them alive for a good long while, especially Merle and his brother he'd hoped Merle would understand him, he seemed like the type, but it was no matter he would learn. Rick had a baby if the kid was to be believed and that was the best news.

He had built this whole place hoping he could find another little girl one he could call his own one that would fill this hole Penny had left. He would have Penny back, he would raise her right like those savages couldn't ever do.

Andy Couldn't find his boy, he'd been with him on trying to take this prison and it was starting to worry. Ben was rash, but he wouldn't do anything without him would he, the last thing he wanted to do was tell those phycos his boy had disappeared.

"Tyreese." Andy said quietly, he hated the man, but he was the closest thing to someone he could trust and he didn't want Axle over hearing.

"What?" He asked not all too happy he was talking to him, Andy didn't blame him they'd been going at it almost every time they talked lately.

"I... Ben is missing... I'm worried he... I'm just worried." Andy didn't know how much to tell him. Tyreese stiffened uncomfortably he was caught in a hard situation now, he wanted to help Andy, but he had to tell Rick's group.

"Where would he have gone?" Tyreese asked trying to sound calm, Ben took after his father in most ways and he didn't know what he'd do out there on his own.

"I don't know... I... we'd talked about leaving through the tombs, maybe he went down there, but he never would have left without me." Andy told him, Tyreese nodded clapping him on the shoulder.

"We'll find him." He reassured him turning to go tell the others, Andy grabbed his arm stopping him.

"Where are you going?" He asked his voice straining to contain anger. Tyrese took Andy's hand off his arm.

"I gotta tell Rick, it ain't like we can go off and look for him on our own." Tyreese told him Andy Looked frantic for a second struggling to keep his anger in check he knew it wouldn't help right now.

"Fine, just... Just let me do it." Andy pleaded, Tyreese nodded backing off, he'd talk to Rick later as well, but Andy deserved a chance to do this right.

Daryl leaned against the frame of the door just watching her, Carol was sitting at the tabel facing the light. She was cutting up the meat to can, but the way the light caught the soft halo of peppered black hair made her look so peaceful and innocent.

He knew he should be helping her, but he didn't get the chance to watch her without any prying eyes. She started humming softly a sweet melody that he didn't recognize and he couldn't help it any more. He had to touch her, so he walked up behind her without a sound and wrapped his arms around her.

She jumped and he had to stop her from driving the cutting knife into his eye, he should have known better. She turned and saw it was him and a look of horror crossed her face, she had nearly stabbed him!

"Settle Darlin it's just me." He told her, she frowned slapping him with her free hand repeatedly.

"Jesus Daryl I could have killed you, you scared me!" She whined, he chuckled kissing her neck, his hair was getting longer and it tickled her cheek. She leaned into him loving the feel of him, little moments like this made living in this hell bearable, even preferable to the life she used to have.

"Didn't mean to scare ya darlin, just... just love ya." He whispered, she smiled getting up from the table so she could kiss him.

"Love you too, so much." She whispered back leaning up and stealing a kiss, he always tasted like salt and sweat. She wouldn't have admitted it before, but she loved it. There was something manly and real about the way his skin tasted.

He ran his hand slowly down her shoulders then back up from her hips under her soft worn shirt. His hands were so gentle, she was always amazed a man with such rough calloused hands could be so gentle. His hands found the long raised scar where Ed had tried to cut Sophia out of her and he stopped leaning his head against hers with his eyes closed.

"I should a killed that son of a bitch that night on the road." Daryl murmured, kissing her once just a peck, but it had a depth to it that made her heart race.

"I wish I'd met you sooner." She told him honestly, returning hs kiss in kind. His sweet little half smile faded and a thoughtful frown creased his brow.

"Not sure you would a taken a shine to me before all this, ain't much now, but before I was worse then nothin." Daryl told her, she shook her head deepening the kiss this time to try and show him how wrong he was.

"Even before you defended me, even if you had a bad life you were always a good man." She insisted, he smiled a real smile this time because she really thought that even if he didn't believe it someone did.

Merle laid in his bunk with Kiry snuggled up naked next to him under the one blanket, she'd ben out for a while now, but he couldn't seem to close his eyes. He just wanted more of her every time his lids drooped he'd get overwhelmed with the need to see her.

He knew it would be like this, that's why he hadn't pushed it. She was his new addiction and with every hit he got in deeper, withdrawal would kill him now if he lost her. Hell the day she died he'd be right beside her and that scared the shit out a him.

He'd been in deep before with other things, but even his worst bender didn't compare to this. Kiry smiled opening her eyes just enough to look up at him, fuck he loved the way she looked at him. She was the only person that looked at him that way.

"What chya doin big guy?" She asked, she sounded so relaxed and he couldn't help but lean down and kiss her, she snaked her arms around his neck deepening the kiss for a moment before she pulled back looking at him expectantly.

"Just thinkin, Jesus Christ woman everything gotta be some huge revelation with ya?" He asked trying to deflect her question, she narrowed her eyes at him in disbelief then when it hit her, her eyes got wide as a saucer.

"You were watchin me fuckin sleep, cause you love me!" She all but told him, he ground his teeth trying to hide the blush that was creeping up his neck.

"Ain't like that for fuck sake, can't a man fuckin think?" He growled, her smile just got bigger since all he was doing was digging himself in deeper.

"Fine I'll drop it... If you say it again." She told him adamantly, he looked down at her a little confused.

"What the fuck are you yammerin about sugar?" He asked knowing full well what she wanted from him.

"Tell me again, and I'll leave you be... Don't play dumb big man I know you know what I'm talkin about, you ain't stupid as much as you like people to think it." She said sitting up a little further, he sighed falling back onto his pillow.

"Fuck you!" He snarled, but when she moved to get out of bed he grabbed her waist pulling her back down to him and nipping at her ear which forced a moan from her lips despite her desire to prove a point. "Fine... I love you... always have, now pull that stick out your ass and kiss me!" He growled the deep baritone in her ear that sent a quiver through to her core as she shifted over kissing him desperately.


	19. Chapter 19

**Sorry these chapter's are taking so long, tell me what you think.**

Rick rubbed his temples she was there again by the fence, he knew she wasn't really there but he was having a hard time remembering it when he looked at her. He'd been seeing her since Maggie had told him she'd died. If it hadn't been for Daryl and his family he might have lost it completely, they'd given him time to pull it back together.

He tensed hearing the door to the watch tower open, he shook his head trying to clear it of the image of his wife. He heard the click of sword on sheath and he knew it was Michone, he cringed a little she knew he was seeing things. She'd guessed while her and Carl had come with to get weapons.

"She out there?" Michone asked coming up to stand next to him looking out at the fence where his eyes were locked.

"Not any more." He answered. she had disappeared as soon as he had heard the click of her sword she was gone, it helped knowing there was someone who understood. Who didn't judge him for it, he knew how crazy he was, but he was doing everything he could to keep it together for them.

"Your boy's takin a big risk fallin for the Dixon girl, you see the look Daryl was given the boy today?" She asked trying to change the subject, she knew how hard it was to deal with that kind of loss and dwelling didn't help.

"He always had a nose for doin the stupid thing just like his daddy, don't think Daryl would actually shoot him though not unless Sophia wanted him to." Rick mumbled keeping his eyes on the perimeter, Michnoe put her hands on the rail with his he fingers brushing against his.

"I don't know you two do alright." She said more softly then he'd heard her speak before, his eyes flicked down to her hand her pinky pressed lightly against his. He twitched his pinky letting it drape lightly over hers, which she didn't seem to mind.

"I've had some help lately." He whispered, then cleared his throat taking his hands away and stuffing them in his pockets.

"I'll take watch you go be with your boy and your baby." She told him looking at her hand and actively not at him, if her smooth skin weren't so dark he might have noticed the blush.

"Thank you." He mumbled leaving the tower, Michone sighed looking out at the tree line until she saw him leave the tower, she watched him until he was out of sight. If any one of them was prone to doing the stupid thing it was her, falling for that man.

They heard the cans rattle first, and they scrambled to get into place, Sophia was supposed to take Hershel, Beth, Judith and Carl out to the cars then they all swing back and cover the retreat if she had to or join the fight if she absolutely had to. Sophia wasn't exactly happy that she'd gotten stuck with the run away duty, but at least she was with Carl.

"Do you think we can go back yet?"Sophia asked itching to help, Carl was right beside her shifting impatiently.

"We could go check." He offered his hand brushing against hers in what he hoped looked innocent enough.

"You will not, the plan was for us to wait here until the commotion dies down then drive around and see if they need help no exceptions." Hershel told them, they rolled there eyes in unison.

"Well the commotion has officially died, can we please swing around before anyone else does?" Sophia pleaded, Hershel frowned, but nodded while everyone filed into the car.

Carol, Daryl, Merle and Kiry had been set up separately, but shit had hit the fan pretty fast, they had never found Andy's sun and some how the Governor's men had gotten in through the tombs and cut off their escape route, they'd lost Axle first, then Tyreese and his whole group. No one had seen Rick and Michone since the fight started.

Daryl was trying to fight his way through to Carol, he couldn't lose her not now. He'd already been shot in the side, and he was starting to feel dizzy. She was supposed to be up on the cat walk but she hadn't been there, so he tried to keep pressure on his wound as he made his way to the cell block.

The place was crawling with walkers, he stumbled into the cell block in time to see Merle run his blade through some guys face. He was covered in blood that Daryl had no way of telling if it was Merle's, but he looked ragged as hell.

"Merle!" Daryl called out putting a bolt through the walker coming up on him, he turned and smirked clutching his chest.

"Hey baby brother, I ain't doin so hot." He grumbled collapsing against the wall at his back. Daryl rushed over to him sliding down on to his knees next to him. He pulled his hand away revealing half a dozen buck shot holes, they didn't look too deep, but he was bleeding a lot.

"We'll get ya out a here brother, you seen Kiry or Carol?" Daryl asked pulling off his sleeves to try and bandage up the worst of his wounds.

"Ugh, saw Carol runnin, she was lookin for you so I took some a the heat off her. Ain't seen her since, sorry brother." Merle groaned trying not to move, the mother fucker who'd shot him had been a good distance away, but it still hurt like a bitch.

"So you ain't seen Kiry?" He managed through clenched teeth, Daryl kept his eyes on Merle's chest wound, he knew that Merle was finally letting her in and they couldn't lose her again.

"Sorry brother, haven't seen her, but I know we lost Tyreese and his people." Merle nodded struggling to get back on his feet. Daryl stuffed himself under his good arm to keep him that way, it was a struggle to get moving with both of them being shot.

They made it to the door of the cell block in relative safety, then they stumbled back since Daryl was pretty sure he was fucking blind, and deaf. Daryl felt his brother go down and lashed out blindly with his knife, he felt his blade slice through something soft, then something cold and hard smashed into his head and he was out.

Merle lifted his good hand to his head, he could feel thick sticky liquid that he would assume was blood, fuck he hated flash bangs. His ears were still ringing a little and even with his eyes closed he knew he was seeing spots. He forced his eyes open, his eyes weren't exactly working well, but even still he recognized the room he'd kept Glen in.

"Merle, how did we get here, are you hurt?" Carol's voice managed to pierce through the ringing in his ears, and she came into view.

"Shot to shit, and my head is on fuckin fire, but other than that I'm fuckin dandy, what happened to my brother, wait did Kiry find you?" Merle asked her, she helped him sit up leaning him against the wall, he groaned at the twinge in his chest.

"He was with you? I... I don't know where he is, but Kiry did find me right before they did." Carol told him nodding towards the door, Merle growled there was no way he could sit by while that sick fuck had Kiry. He struggled to get to his feet, but Carol pushed him back down.

"Merle you're shot and probably concussed take a minute to rest, I don't think the Governor wants to kill any of us right away." Carol told him, her snarled relaxing back against the wall.

"Get your fuckin hands off me woman, just 'cause he ain't killin 'em now don't mean he ain't hurtin 'em!" Merle ground out through clenched teeth, Carol struggled to hold back a sob, of course she knew that, but it didn't help to panic.

"Don't you get short with me Merle Dixon, I know the trouble we're in and you're not the only one who's worried! My daughter, my sister-in-law and Daryl are all missing not to mention the rest of our little family, so don't even imagine you're the only one suffering!" Carol scolded him, she was hurt worried and in no mood to deal with Merle's short temper.

"I see where the little fire cracker gets it." Merle grumbled looking scolded enough to satisfy Carol, so she sat down ext to him trying desperately not to cry. "They'll be fine girl, ain't no need to snap at me." He mumbled draping his arm around her shoulder, he needed as much comfort as her.

When they finally checked the prison it was empty of the living, Hershel made them fall back to the contingency meeting area in case anyone escaped, but they had been there for hours and no one had shown up. Sophia knew if no one showed up soon Hershel would want them to keep moving so she quietly snuck out to Carl, who was on watch on the porch.

"Anything?" She asked tucking her hand into his, he started slightly, but smiled down at there clasped hands.

"No, sorry, I'm not leaving though as messed up as my dad is right now he's still my dad, and Judith needs him." He sighed, Sophia closed her eyes against the fear that every one was gone.

"I think the Governor took them, Merle said that he'd keep them alive for a while, to hurt them. We need to sneak out of here and save them. Hershel will never let us he'd rather they die then risk us, 'cause we kids." Sophia told him, he looked over his shoulder then back at the car, his dad had let him drive a couple of times while they were on the run, he could probably get them there.

"We'd have to go now, I think Hershel wants to leave when my watch is over." He told her, she nodded sticking her head back in the door and grabbing her bag.

"Then let's go find our families." She told him and they hurried out to the car Sophia scribbled a quick note and left it on the rail before getting in, Carl wasn't the worst driver, but Sophia wasn't the best navigator. They managed to get back to the prison before it got dark so they could make sure no one was left there.

"No one's here, that means... means I was right, he has them. Carl how are we gonna save them we're just kids?!" Sophia pleaded, Carl took both her hands trying to reassure her.

"Hey, we'll think of something, just don't freak out on me." Carl told her, her face turned to an expression of anger, Carl didn't really think about what he did he just didn't want her to be mad so he kissed her. Her lips were soft but a bit rough before her anger ebbed this time he didn't pull away, her tongue flicked out brushing over his lower lip rousing a groan from him.

"Finally." She whispered leaning her head against his finally feeling comforted, he chuckled kissing the top of her head.

"Let's get to Woodbury and make a plan." Carl told her, she smiled, he was right they'd figure this out, she just had to keep a level head.

Kiry woke up nearly screaming from the searing pain in her wrists Her eyes snapped open to see what had lit the flame and felt bile rise in her throat at what she saw. Her wrists were clamped down crushingly to a chair. She looked over to the other two chairs where Michone and Rick were similarly clamped down.

"You two okay?" She choked out, Rick looked over at her and forced a smile, she could tell they were in as much pain as her.

"I think my wrist might be broken, but we haven't seen the Governor yet." He offered, even Kiry could hear his voice quiver under the pain in his wrists. As if summoned by the mention of his name the door slammed open, it was likely he actually could hear them.

"Finally awake I see, I have no real problem with you, I just needed someone expendable to use as an example for what I'll do if our friend Rick here, and you both get to watch me mutilate my dear Michone here. Let's get started." He said to Kiry then headed over to Michone with a deranged grin, he put his hand on the side of her head and when she tried to pull away he slapped her hard enough to rattle her teeth then held hr still driving his thumb into her eye slowly.

Kiry looked away trying to keep herself together, but the ear-piercing scream from a woman she'd never even seen look worried, coupled with the screams of Rick struggling to stop the governor rose bile in her throat. Even the sound of the governor's laughter was added to the horrific screams.

"Good now that we've gotten that out-of-the-way." The governor started taking out a handkerchief and cleaning off his thumb with a casual demeanor that just served to prove how much he'd lost it.

"Don't Touch her!" Rick growled struggling to do anything to save them from this lunatic and his torture.

"Oh settle down Rick I'm done with her for now, she won't appreciate the pain until her eye heals a little, it's your turn now. Now Rick I hear you have an infant daughter, I didn't find her when I snatched the rest of your group so the question is where did you leave her. She can't be safe out there according to the whelp I killed the only people I didn't kill or capture are the cripple and three other children." The Governor said with a slip of a smile that made them feel like they needed a shower.

"I'll never tell you where she is!" Rick growled

"Oh I know she's your child you'd never put her in danger, that's why I'm asking her." He smirked, looking over at Kiry, she grimaced, this was going to be a long day.

Daryl sat up to the sounds of walker gnashing their teeth at him, he was in a decent sized cage inside some kind of walker pit, Maggie and Glen were unconscious near him with walkers clawing at the bottom of the cage trying to reach them.

It smelled of ash and used gasoline, and there was some sort of low chiming noise that was obviously used to draw the walkers in. He patted himself down to see what he'd been left with. All he had was his clothes and a paper pinned to his chest,he pulled it off.

"You have more use to me dead, I will enjoy watching the pain in your brother's eyes when I tell him you were torn apart. I don't need the Asian, and the woman but I'm sure someone will lament the news. I will however keep your woman in case you do escape, the second I see your face I will slit her throat and let her rip the flesh your brother's face.

All the best,

The Governor."

Daryl growled crumpling the paper and throwing the ball out at the walkers, there had to be at least a dozen walkers in this fucking hole. He kicked Glen's boot and he sat up with a start, whipping his head around.

"Where the fuck are we?" Glen choked out pulling Maggie to him and away from the grasping arms of the walkers.

"I ain't got a fuckin clue, some kind a walker pit, that shit stain left us here to get ripped apart. I think that fucker gets some kind a yen from lettin us swing, he's got at least Merle, Carol, and probably more. We gotta get out a here." Daryl told them as Glen comforted a now conscious Maggie.

"Ya, but how?" She asked ass she assessed the situation they were in, which did look pretty bleak. Daryl stood up as far as he could, which was more of a crouch, he stood on one of the walker's arms.

"First..." He said stomping down on the things arm with all his weight a few times before the arm came off it. "We need a weapon." He said tossing the arm at Glen, he cringed, this wouldn't be the first time he'd done this, but he'd hoped it would be his last.

"How is this gonna help, I mean there's gotta be a dozen of those things out there?" Maggie asked trying to keep a straight face as Glen ripped the bone out of the things arm, and Daryl snapped off another.

"Well we ain't got a lot a options, these geeks'll tear this cage apart if we just sit here with our thumbs up our asses. We let 'em in a few at a time, and we make it out a here. I sure as fuck ain't lettin that fuck ass lay a finger on Carol!" He snarled ripping the third bone out of the rotting flesh of some dead man's arm.


	20. Chapter 20

**Got this one done a little faster, thank you all for your feed back, enjoy!**

It didn't take Sophia and Carl long to get to Woodbury, they had a plan, but they needed a way to make a noise bomb. So Carl and her were pouring over a car with an alarm trying to figure out how to take it out, and set it off.

"Ugh I wish Merle and Dad were here, we'd have had this out half an hour ago." Sophia mumbled as she finally managed to yank the thing out of the car. She was officially having Merle teach her about cars when she got him back.

"Hey, we got this, we're gonna get them back." Carl told her brushing his hand down her arm with a reassuring smile. She let her head drop onto his shoulder with a sigh, she wasn't thrilled by this plan. It was Merle's original plan, since there was no way they'd get in and out without a major distraction.

"Ya, let's do this." She said grabbing her wire cutters, they spent an hour making weaknesses in their walls. They would keep at it until nightfall, then they would go in and set up the noise bomb at the center of town, set it off and find there families.

The Governor had spent two hours toying with Kiry, he didn't expect to get an answer until he got back to them a second time. The woman was in love with his favorite Dixon brother and once he'd taken his anger out on Merle he would have a much more compelling reason for her to talk.

He looked in at his next victims, the mousey one, Carol, his leverage on Daryl should he live, was looking around the room trying to arm herself, Merle was still too wounded to cause much of a problem. He smirked he knew it would hurt Merle more to make him watch while he hurt his brothers woman.

He opened the door with a smirk and when he turned to face Carol she swung her elbow into his face with all her weight. He stumbled back, he hadn't expected her to pack such a punch. She tried to kick him in the balls, but he caught her leg tossing her onto the floor.

Before he could kick her Merle slammed into him with the force of a Mack truck, but it hurt him almost as much as it hurt the Governor. They tumbled to the floor, but the Governor scrambled back to his feet quickly turning to kick Merle while he was down.

"Merle!" Carol yelled jumping onto the Governors back to stop him from kicking Merle, they were doing better than he'd expected, but for the most part it was going as he'd planned. He knew if he'd tied Merle down, he'd get out eventually, better to get this out-of-the-way first.

He slammed Carol into the wall pulling her over his shoulder and slamming her face first into the table, he bent her over roughly grinding into her rear. He was not found of rape, but the threat made a very clear point to all. She cried out, and Merle struggled to get to his feet, but the buck shot wounds were bleeding freely again, adding to his already dizzy, throbbing head.

He got to his feet, but he was unsteady and seeing spots, he knew he didn't have long before he passed out again. The Governor smirked, finally, Merle should have passed out already, but he was only just starting to lose consciousness.

"You can't help her Merle, I still need information from your woman, but Carol has no purpose now that your brother is dead, the only reason she's here is so you can watch me break her before you die." He told Merle tossing Carol at him, he caught her with a great effort while she sobbed uncontrollably. Merle was fighting a breakdown himself, he'd been scared he'd lost everyone for a long time, now he'd finally gotten them back and was losing them slowly with nothing he could do.

"If you hurt another one of my people I won't just kill you, I will crush every bone in your body before I leave you to be ripped apart by a herd the likes a which you ain't never seen!" Merle growled glad he was in pain so he didn't show the pain that ripped through him at the thought of his brother's death, and the ever-growing tear stain over his chest.

"Yes and you are in the obvious position to make threats, sit back and bleed Merle, I can wait for you to heal up. After all I still have your girlfriend to play with." He smirked turning towards the door, Merle threw himself off Carol and into the Governor, he was weak, seeing spots, hell he could hardly keep his eyes open, but he'd be damned if he'd let him hurt Kiry.

His arms were heavy from the blood loss and his swings wouldn't hit as hard as he'd like so as dead as he knew he was without help he decided to go geek on this bitch. He bit a chunk out of his face spitting it on the floor and head-butting him, he could feel his nose crack under his head and when he stumbled back Carol rounded on him kicking him in the balls.

Before they could do anything else Martinez and two other men with guns came in throwing them back. The Governor cursed getting to his feet and taking the cloth one of the men handed him to staunch the bleeding.

"Tie them up, and make damn sure he doesn't bleed out yet, I'm not done with him. I guess I'll just have to take this out on Kiry." The Governor snarled leaving Merle struggling against the two men trying to tie him down, Carol had just shut down. She had lost Daryl, she'd probably lost Sophia and anyone who had made it was being tortured and she was helpless again. She hadn't felt this worthless and alone since before Ed died in that Quarry.

Carol cried silently for the man she loved, she had never hurt so much or anything. They were patching up bullet wounds on Merle, hell she'd had more than her share of broken bones herself, she'd been beaten nearly to death. Even still losing Daryl was so much worse, he was her strength, maybe it would be different if she knew Sophia was alive, but she didn't know anything.

Michone had been able to work one and lose enough to pull it free when she needed to since the pain in her head overshadowed the pain in her hands, but she could hear him out there, so she'd wait. Kiry was just regaining consciousness, he'd beaten her pretty badly, nothing she hadn't had before, but it had still knocked her cold.

"Rick." She whispered, her throat was tight from holding back cries of pain, Rick looked over at her, he had a few of his own bruises.

"Kiry, I'm sorry, we should a run. This is my fault I..." He started, his eyes were puffy and rimmed with red, nothing hurt him more than watching someone get hurt because of him.

"Rick! Shut up and listen." Her hushed whisper stopped him in mid sentence, he looked on expectantly.

"What ever I say, ya gotta play it like I'm tellin him where your baby girl is, where your son is. He won't buy it without you." She mumbled, he could barely hear her, but he got what she was saying so he nodded his consent.

The governor came in not to long after with fresh bandages, Kiry smiled up at him through the bruises. She knew exactly where he'd gotten those wounds, Merle would have done everything he could to hurt him.

"Seen my man hu?" Kiry asked with a cocky smirk, the Governor smiled in response getting in her face.

"Ya, he was too much of a handful, so I'm having him killed, I figured the walker pit would be fitting that's where Daryl was ripped apart." He told her with a wicked grin, a choked sob escaped her lips against her will.

"If... If I tell you were Judith is will you..." She started, Rick whipped his head up in horror struggling against his restraints.

"No! Kiry, you can't! She's just a baby! Kiry, don't!" Rick yelled drowning her voice out, the Governor slammed the back of his hand across Rick's face with a resounding crack.

"Don't interrupt it's not polite, and yes if you tell me where little Penny is I could spare Merle." He told her while silent tears ran down her cheeks for her lost brother.

"They were supposed to take her back to the Green farm." Kiry sobbed which made the Governor grin.

"No, you bitch! She's lying we'd never go back there, it wasn't safe! Shut up!" Rick screamed, the Governor back-handed him again, harder this time and he fell limp. It was taking everything Michone had to stay still in her loose bonds.

"Anyway, if the farm was over run where would they go next?" He asked, Kiry let another sob rip through her, it wasn't had to fake with the sorrow that really was consuming her.

"There was an old folks home in... in Atlanta, I've never been there, but Rick said there was a group there, that would help us for... for a few days if we needed." Kiry let out between sobs, Daryl had told her about that place, and how they'd all been dead, and now so was he.

"Good, well I'll let Merle live a bit longer, but you've just run of leverage." He told her pulling Rick's chair to the back, the motion roused him.

"Oh good you're awake, no sense in waiting then." The Governor chuckled leaving the room, we could hear muffled voices on the other side.

"We wait an hour, then we get out of here, find the rest of the group, and Andrea and kill that mother fucker." Michone growled in a low dangerous tone, then the door opened and one of the Governor's men pushed a walker on a stick into the room and let it go, it took them all a second to see who it was.

"Andrea!" Michone gasped pulling out of her restraints as soon as the door sung shut, she broke the arm off her chair, but she couldn't move on her. It was Andrea, her friend, her sister, the closest person to her since all this went down, she'd lost everyone, and now she'd lost Andrea.

"Michone! Let me out of these, you don't have to be the one to do this." Rick called out to her as tears stained her dark skin, none of them had ever seen her cry before. The tears stung the fresh wound where her eye had once been.

"No, I left her, I have to do this for her!" Michone sobbed taking a step towards her, she grabbed her head holding her at arm's length while she sobbed, before she drove the arm of the chair across her head until there was nothing left to recognize.

Michone fell to her knees racked with uncontrollable sobs for a short moment, she choked out a final sob and rose to her feet looking cold and determined. She walked over to Kiry first, she would have cried in relief from the pain in her hands if she could have stopped crying for Daryl.

"Michone." Rick whispered when she let him up, he reached out and touched her arm gently, she looked down at his hand then back up at his worried face.

"I'm fine." She told him going over to the door to wait, Rick snapped two of the legs off his own chair handing one to kiry, she shook her head taking off her boots. She pulled out the souls which cover a thin flat throwing knife in both boots. Rick gave her a weak smile and went to wait with Michone.

He ripped his sleeve into strips and bandaged her eye up as best as he could for now. She was trying hard not to cry, it hurt too badly right now, and she needed to stay sharp. Rick strained his ears there was some kind of loud noise outside the building but he couldn't hear it well. Something was going on out there, and they had no way to get out of this room without outside help.

Kiry tried to hold the knife with her left hand and pain shot through her whole left side, she cursed, the vice had dislocated her 3rd metacarpal. She looked away biting down on her vest popping her bone back into place with an ear-splitting scream.

"What happened?" Rick asked as they both spun around in time to see her clutching her hand to her chest, she grimaced as she clenched her fist, there was no way she could throw with that.

"What, we're supposed to be being eaten alive, there had to be at least one scream." Was all she offered them, it wouldn't be long before someone opened the door to check on them, Kiry ripped at the bottom of her shirt so she could wrap her hand. She got up one blade tucked into the sheath at her side for best access, the other was ready to kill.

Daryl wiped the sweat from his brow, they'd been stabbing walkers through the cage as best they could, but at least five more had tumbled into their fucking hole since they'd started. They needed to get out and shut that stupid chime off.

"You two ready to get out a this fuckin hole?" Daryl asked sitting down near the cage door, they stabbed the walkers they'd been working on, most of them were dead now.

"Fuck ya, this place is getting crowded fast." Glen told him, Daryl lay down on his back gripping the bars under him and puling his knees up to his chest before slamming his feet into the cage door with all his strength. It was the best way to bust open that door since he couldn't stand at full height.

They covered him, killing anything that got too close to the door of the cage, it took more than a few kicks before the door busted off, but when it finally did he could have cried in triumph.

"Hell ya!" Maggie called out hurrying past Daryl and starting to dig through the walkers hoping one of them had a real weapon while Glen killed the last walker in the hole. Daryl got to his feet assessing the hole and how best to get out of it.

"Yes!" Maggie exclaimed holding up a revolver, Daryl shook his head grabbing the nearest body, he double tapped it, searched it, then set it by the edge. He kept at it while the other two picked the walkers clean.

"What are you doing?" Maggie asked, while glen watched for incoming walkers, Daryl tossed another body on his pile.

"I don't know about y'all, but I ain't leapin out a this fuckin hole like superman any time soon, so I'm makin us some fuckin stairs." Daryl explained, by the time they'd finished making the pile two more walkers had fallen into the hole, and Glen had a hammer, Maggie had the gun and a machete and Daryl had a buck knife in hand.

"I'll go up first." Daryl mumbled climbing the stack, Daryl put the knife between his teeth and clambered out of the hole in time to come face to face with a walker, he dropped the knife from his mouth into his hand and stabbed it through the things jaw dropping it down onto the pile.

"Come on, we ain't got all day." Daryl called down to them before hurrying over to the God awful chime. He shut it off so he could get back to covering Glen and Maggie, he didn't know where they were, but it didn't look close to any land marks.

"Where do we go?" Glen asked looking around at the field, Daryl crouched down, there were a good number of tire marks heading north-east.

"We follow these, once we get to the road we'll get you two a car, you need to get to the meetin place, tell them what's going on, I'll head towards Woodbury, find my fuckin family." Daryl told them starting of in that direction, they hurried to keep up with him.

"There's no way we're letting you go in there alone." Maggie told him, he snorted, he should have known they'd fight him on this.

"She's right, there's no way you cam do it alone." Glen added, Daryl looked between the two of them.

"I ain't askin permission, one of us has gotta get to that house so we don't lose the group, I ain't leavin my family with that sick fuck, so one a y'all has to go. You ain't keen on goin alone either a ya so ya both go, it's the only way it works." Daryl told them, he was right of course, they didn't want to separate,and their family was all at that house, it was the clear choice.

They fell silent killing their way back to the road, Daryl finally had his bearings. He looked up and down the roads, there were no cars here unfortunately.

"You two head that way, find a car and get back as fast as you can. If I ain't back by the week's end there ain't nothin to find, so move on, leave us a location, just in case, and short round, take care a my girl for me." He told him slapping him on the shoulder, Glen could feel tears stinging at his eyes, but he just nodded curtly. Maggie hugged him and he froze awkwardly, but she wasn't keeping composure as well as the men, he was as much family to her as Beth at this point.

"Good luck man." Glen told him smacking his shoulder just like Daryl had done to him. He took a deep breath and turned towards Woodbury. He couldn't let her down this time, if he lost her it wouldn't matter if he made it out of there, he'd die with her.

He had a long walk, and a longer road ahead of him to figure out how to get her out safely, he stayed off the road since the Governors men obviously drove this way. He threw his knife killing a squirrel after he'd walked for a while, so at least he wouldn't starve.

It was already dark by the time he made it to Woodbury, now the real trouble started, he had to get inside without being seen, and he had no tools, and only a knife as a weapon. He started towards the a blind spot in the wall. As he got closer he realized a hole had already been cut in it, a few actually, what was going on here? He took his knife out and headed in.

They'd had a close call when a group of the Governors men had left Woodbury, but now it was getting dark and Sophia and Carl were ready. The holes were cut and they both had an alarm to set off, Carl had even turned some radios on further out to draw in a better heard. They did one last round pulling the ties of all the holes and heading in through the back.

"Let's do this, no matter what happens we meet back at the prison first, don't go to the house until we know we're not being followed." Carl told her, she nodded and they took out there alarms ready to part ways, Sophia leaned over and kissed him.

"Good luck." She whispered hurrying off, Carl stood there stunned for a half a second before he shook it of rushing to get his alarm in place. Sophia had figured no one would notice two kids, and she'd been right. She set it under a tarp in the back of a truck and waited, they'd agreed Carl would set his of first since his was further away from where they'd started.

She shifted nervously from one foot to the other in her crouch, her bow out and an arrow knocked, she didn't like this, it was too open here. Then she heard it, the wail of the car alarm, she pressed herself against the col metal of the truck waiting while people rushed towards the sound, then she set hers off running as fast as she could for the buildings.

They were supposed to meet back in the building where they'd started and then they'd start looking for their families. Carl was already there, and she didn't even bother stopping, he matched her pace and they started rushing from building to building looking for the one that had cells or something.

It didn't take too long to find the place they figured they'd be held with all the guards in chaos, They were even starting to run into some walkers. They rounded the corner to get to the door inside and Sophia came face to face with a walker.

She swept low with her bow taking it out at the knees and Carl stomped its head in, they made a pretty good team. Carl rushed forward and as soon as Sophia was in place he swung the door open and she shot the person a few paces down the hall.

She watched as a young woman with a compound bow fell to the ground with an arrow in the base of her skull. Sophia had never killed anyone who wasn't already dead, she remembered Kiry telling her it should never be easy to end a life. Everyone makes mistakes, and not every enemy knows they're on the wrong side.

All the things she'd ever heard about killing ran through her head, she wanted to cry for a girl who might not have had anything to do with this, but then she remembered something Merle had told her. _"Killin ain't hard firecracker, livin's hard, you either get over it or die."_ Sophia ripped her arrow out of the girl's head, she was wearing a delicate cross necklace that reminded her of her mother's, so she took that too.

"This way." Sophia said shaking off the thought of the dead girl and going to a nearby door, Carl opened it and the room was empty of people, but it did have their stuff. It must have been an armory, but the first thing that caught her eye was her dad's crossbow.

"Load up." Sophia told him tossing him a duffel bag, he went straight to his dads python, Sophia shouldered Daryl's crossbow and grabbed her own bag stuffing Kiry's knives in and Merle's prosthetic knife, then as many guns and all their ammo as she could fit in it too.

"Here." Carl tossed her a belt with two sheaths on it on longer then the other, she cinched it quickly drawing the big one to examine, it had a simple black full tang handle, and a simple thick blade that tapered to a cutting edge on both sides. It wasn't too long for her, but it wasn't short, the other one she recognized from Kiry's assorted knives as a Kukri.

Carl had Michone's sword and had back some machetes into the bag and had a long black sword with black brass knuckles edged in a silver color over the spiked edge. Sophia wished there was one like that, that wasn't so large. Sophia grabbed her mom's bow, and a couple of compound bows too, and they headed back into the hall.

Sophia wasn't as quiet, her bag was too heavy, but she pushed through it as they rounded a corner and Carl shot a man guarding a door without a thought. He picked up the guys rifle shouldering it and grabbing the door looking to her, she nodded and he pulled it open.

"Mommy!" Sophia gasped running into the room that had Merle and her mom taped to chairs. Merle looked up in shock as the kid burst through the door loaded down and ready to kill, he knew Kiry had been working with them, but they looked serious.

"Firecracker your Mamma ain't doin so hot, cut me out a here." Merle told her, Carol hadn't made a sound since the Governor had left them there. He'd tried to talk to her, but she had just shut down, he could still see the tears falling silently from her cheeks while she watched her daughter like she may disappear.

"What happened, is she gonna be okay?" Sophia asked while she cut him loose and Carl watched the door.

"My baby, my sweet girl!" Carol's broken sob cut through the din. "He's dead, they killed him." She whispered, barely a breath, but Sophia heard it and knew exactly what it meant. She stumbled back a step, she finally had a father she couldn't lose him now.

"No... No!" Sophia cried out, Merle snatched her before she could do anything stupid, she clung to his chest sobbing and he did the only thing he could, he held her. Carl cut Carol lose, he knew she needed her family right now. Carol hurried to them and hugged her and Merle together, Merle wasn't used to this shit, but they need him, so he held them as they cried, and maybe he shed some of his ow tears.

"We ain't got all day ladies, what ya got for us?" Merle grimace as there embrace tweaked his wounds, Sophia nodded pulling out of her mother's arms and dropping her bag on the ground she pulled out Merle's knife and let him take his pick of the guns.

"Here Mom, you should use this." Sophia said handing Daryl's crossbow to her, along with the re-curve bow that Daryl had made her. She slung her bow over her shoulder and looked Daryl's cross-bow over setting the foot hold on the floor and pulling the string back loading it.

Tears never stopped flowing from Carol's eyes, but now she had a hard determined look on her face now. She had lost the only man she'd ever loved, but she still had people who needed her. She refused to fall apart like Rick had when they needed him, she was strong now, Daryl had given her that, and she wouldn't let him down.

"Merle, where would they keep the others?" Carol asked in a hollow tone that would have sent shivers through a lesser man.

"Governors got a place, let's move." Merle told her holding his gun in the crook of his bum arm so he could cock it. Carl and Sophia fell into the flanks as they moved out, Carl reached over squeezing her hand gently, she smiled giving him a reassuring nod, she would be fine at least until they were safe.

Daryl had only just gotten through the fence when he heard the high-pitched wail of a car alarm break through the night's silence. Who ever had set it off wanted walkers to get through the wall, it was Merle's plan, brutal, but effective. A good distraction if one of them was trying to get in alone.

Daryl didn't know which one of their group would be okay with the plan, but he could use it, he hurried around the buildings towards where they had found Glen in last time, but before he could get even half way there he heard a muffled scream drowned out by the car alarm, even still he recognized the voice.

He changed directions towards the sound, he didn't know why Kiry had screamed, but he needed to get to her and help her. He ran full speed to the building he thought it had come from and when he rounded the corner he skidded to halt throwing himself backwards as a bullet whizzed past his face.

He held his knife tightly waiting for the young man who had shot at him to come around the corner, he punched him in the face following with his knife ramming it through the base of his skull and letting him drop. He patted him down taking his gun, his extra ammo, and the knife from his boot and the one from his belt before getting up and going to the door. He opened it and had to jump back blocking a blow from Michone.

"For fuck sake woman, I ain't gonna shoot ya, no need for that shit. Holy fuck what happened to ya?" Daryl growled pushing her back, she was missing an eye, Kiry pushed past Rick tackle hugging him. He grunted catching her, she was crying which was kind of starnge.

"They told me you were dead!" She choked out, Daryl hugged her back glad that she was alive, but he still didn't know why she'd screamed. He looked over her shoulder at the dead body with its head smashed in, then held her at arm's length checking her for wounds.

"He thought I would be, now why were you bellowin, what happened?" he asked looking over at the other two for wounds, they were all pretty beat up, and Kiry had her hand wrapped. She looked down at her hand grimacing when she closed her fist.

"He had us clamped down to the chairs, then he stabbed out her eye with his fucking thumb, the clamps dislocated a bone in my hand, that's why I screamed, I had to relocate it, but that, that's Andrea." Kiry told him, he grimaced, they had lost so many people, he needed to kill that mother fucker.

"Fuck, let's go find our family." He told them handing the rifle to Rick and passing Michone the longer of his knives and they headed out.


	21. Chapter 21

**Here's another chapter, tell me what you think!**

Merle wasn't at his best, but not one mother fucker got anywhere near them, hell he was pretty sure Carol could have done it alone, she was on a war path. She was using a weapon that loaded slower and had a shorter range than his, but she'd killed at least as many men and walkers as him. A man got too close and Carol beat his fucking face in with the butt of Daryl's crossbow.

He just hoped this helped her, he'd always been a broken man, and right now he was jonesing for a fix, but they both had people now, and they had to keep it together. It didn't matter how fucked up everything was right now. He lead them towards the building he thought the Governor would keep the rest of them, but there were fewer men around then there should be.

Merle turned to take out a walker, but a bolt whizzed by just a little too close to his head, he fell back a step looking back at Carol who didn't seem to have even notice she'd shot so close to his head he'd flet the feathers.

"For fuck sake woman, I know you ain't right in the head right now, but if you fuckin shoot me you best make it count!" Merle growled ripping her bolt out of the walkers head and tossing it back to her, she blinked like she hadn't even realized what she'd been doing.

"Sorry." She mumbled reloading the bow, Sophia grabbed her shaking hand giving it a gentle squeeze.

"We're gonna be okay mom, dad would want us to cry for him. He loved us mom, at least we got to have that." She whispered, Carl put his hand on Sophia's shoulder reassuringly, Merle looked around to make sure they were alone for now.

"And ya ain't alone, as much as I hate to say it, you folks are my too now, I ain't never seen Daryl as happy as he was with y'all, and I ain't gonna disrespect that. Now let get a fuckin move on." Merle told them shifting uncomfortably, Sophia nodded her thanks to him the way Daryl did sometimes, it tore at him how much like him she was. Fuck he'd kill for a fix right now!

He flung the door open and was forced to block a knife coming at his head with his prosthetic, Michone was on the other end of the blade, but she had a bandage wrapped around her head over her left eye. She dropped the knife shaking her head.

"For fuck sake woman!" Merle grumbled, he couldn't see much past her it was a thin hall and it was darker in there then outside.

"I keep doing that today." Michone grumbled as someone pushed past her, Merle stumbled back a step going white as a sheet like he'd seen a ghost. Sophia was the next one to see him, she threw herself past Merle at him.

"Dad!" She cried out, she should have known he wouldn't be dead, he caught her lifting her of the ground and holding her close, she had never been so relived to see anything ever. She still had her dad!

"Daryl." Carol's voice was a broken whisper, but he heard her over everything else, she was standing there stunned, her tears turned to tears of joy. He set Sophia down gently going over to her in two long strides and without a second thought took her face in both hands and kissed her deeply.

His taste mingled with the sharp iron of blood, but he still tasted like ambrosia, she didn't want to stop touching him. He was really there alive and as safe as they ever were, the crushing emptiness flooded out of her and she wrapped herself around him desperately.

She might have kept kissing him if they weren't grabbed together into a crushing hug that lifted them off the ground. Merle grunted I pain dropping them back down, but it was already enough to stun Daryl, Merle had never hugged him.

"Jesus Merle, you goin soft on us?" Kiry's voice had him spinning around and scooping her up too, only this was for a kiss. One that made Daryl blush and Carol and Rick covered the kids eyes, when he finally stopped kissing her she was breathless.

"You shit heads keep doin this shit to me and you wonder why I used fuckin drugs!" Merle grumbled, he even patted Rick on the shoulder, a little harder than he should have maybe, but it was the thought that counts.

"Well we ain't got all day, lets move." Daryl said with his arm still around Carol's waist, it was the first time a public display hadn't bothered him, he turned to smile at her and her eyes went wide. He furrowed his brow trying to figure out what she was seeing and she went limp in his arms falling towards the ground.

Daryl caught her lowering her down, and finally seeing the bullet wound through her chest, his heart stopped while he checked her pulse. Her heart was still beating, and the shot was high, it might not have nicked anything vital, but she was bleeding pretty bad.

"Mommy!" Sophia called out pulling him out of his panic, he pulled his shirt off wrapping it around her to keep pressure on the wound. It had gone clean through, so at least they wouldn't have to dig a bullet out. He scooped her up.

"Merle, take Kiry and Rick, get to the med supplies here, Sophia, how'd you two get hear?" He asked in a tone that begged no questioning. She was too panicked and afraid to answer him, she'd just seen her mom get shot, she had a splatter of her blood across her face.

"We have a car on the east side." Carl answered for her, he nodded turning east and looking over his shoulder at Merle.

"Haul ass Merle, we ain't got time for complications, Carl go with lead 'em back to the car!" Daryl told them, his tone was flat and calm. Merle had seen him like this before, when their mother had died, and whenever one of them had been hurt. This was his zen, he'd get the shit done, and Merle had to come through this time.

Sophia picked up the abandon cross-bow slinging it over her shoulder as Carl tossed Michone her sword and hurried after Merle. They ran as fast as Daryl could move while holding Carol in his arms, a man got too close just once, Daryl kicked him in the chest before anyone even knew he was there and stomped his face in furiously.

Sophia had never seen him like this, but she didn't have time to question it, her mom was bleeding out in his arms. She led them to the hole and had to stop and kill a few walkers who'd been attracted to the loud noise of the now silent car alarms and after that the sound of gun shots and screams kept them coming.

The truck they'd picked up after they'd torn the alarm out of the car wasn't that far out, Daryl hurried around to the back while Michone pulled the tailgate open and Sophia hopped up laying a blanket down. Daryl laid her down checking for a pulse, her heart was still beating, and she wasn't coughing up blood, so they hadn't hit her heart or her lungs.

"Phia, get me anything ya got." He ordered stroking Carol's hair back gently, he eyes flickered open. She looked up into his worried blue eyes and managed a smile.

"You should smile more, you'll get worry line pooky." She joked gripping his hand tightly, he could have cried out in joy at hearing her voice.

"Woman, you heal up and I promise I won't stop smilin. I need ya to tell me your blood type, just in case." He told her kissing her lips gingerly, she looked down at herself, her whole body felt like it was on fire, and moving her neck only made it worse.

"B posotive." She told him, the irony didn't escape her, he furrowed his brow, he didn't have time to get scolded for worrying, she'd been fucking shot.

"I'm wokin on it, but ya gotta..." He started, and a chuckled passed her lips followed by a grimace.

"It's my blood type, is the bullet still in there?" She asked, he shook his head, and Sophia came back clambering up into the back while Michne kept watch.

"This is all we have, should we start a fire, cauterize it?" Sophia asked, Carol shook her head, then instantly regretted it.

"No, I could go into shock, and if it nicked an artery, it wouldn't help, pack it with something as sterile as you can, and give me one of those electrolyte packets. I need to stay hydrated, and... the... the bleeding should stop... on... on its own." Carol told them, she could feel herself slipping into unconsciousness, she was losing too much blood.

"I... I love you... both." She whispered, Daryl's chest was tight, he pulled out the little gauze they'd found in the prison infirmary, Sophia had the water and the electrolyte packet out already. Time seemed to tick by at a snail's pace until Merle got back. Merle and Kiry climbed in the back, and they started driving for the rendezvous.

"What do we got?" Daryl asked taking the bag from Merle, he pulled out the pain killers before Merle could even answer and got to work getting Carol to swallow them.

"Shit load a bandages, suchers, antibiotics, pain killers, some other stuff that your girl here won't need, a respirator, portable defib unit that ya can crank charge, saline, that kind a shit." Merle explained, tossing Daryl the antibiotics which he fed her next in the cramped bed of the truck trying to keep her steady.

"She gonn be okay?" Kiry asked, Daryl looked over at Sophia, then back at them forcing a smile.

"Ya, the bleeding has slowed, it should stop on it's own." It didn't take too long to get back to the house with Rick driving and not getting them lost like Sophia had. Daryl burst through the door and Hershel was already grabbing his bag, since Rick had told him what had happened.

Daryl got pushed out of the room the second he'd set Carol down so Hershel could work, Daryl collapsed against the wall right outside of the room his head falling into his hands. Sophia sat next to him, and he wrapped an arm around her naturally.

"Thank God you're okay, we were worried sick." Beth told Sophia,Daryl looked up remembering that Sophia shouldn't have been at Woodbury. He looked down at her hands sheepishly.

"You even tell 'em you were leavin?" He asked, she looked up with her best kicked puppy look.

"No, but they wouldn't have let us come help you, you could have all died in there. We couldn't just abandon you, nothing is more important than family." Sophia tried to explain, Daryl shook his head with a look of mixed pride and disappointment.

"You remember what I told you at the river?" He asked seriously, Sophia sighed, of course she did, he'd nearly died there too.

"Ya, you told me not to risk myself or you, because mom needed me, but you were all in danger, my whole family, you, mom, Merle, Kiry. I've never had so much to lose Dad, I know you're mad, but even if you don't like it my family is worth dieing to protect. Not that I wasn't safe, we had a good plan." Sophia told him, he hugged her close kissing the top of her head.

"I know 'Phia, but it was brutal, and ya shouldn't a had to be part a that." He told her, a sob escaped her lips and he leaned back to look her in the eye.

"I... I killed a girl, she had a bow, but she was so young!" Sophia cried, it broke his heart to see her this way, and all he could do was hold her.

"Ya did the right thing, she'd a shot ya if she'd seen ya, or worse. Ya didn't just kill her you protected your family, there ain't no better reason to be had." Daryl whispered as Beth hurried away from a scene she obviously wasn't supposed to be there for.

She carried Judith past Merle through to the downstairs bathroom, Kiry was kneeling by the toilet puking her guts out. Beth was startled, but sat on the tub holding her hair back with her only free hand until Kiry was done.

"Are you okay?" Beth asked wondering why Merle wasn't there, she knew they were close, well from the sound of it from her old cell they were a couple.

"Ya, it must be the stress, Merle's not out there is he, he can't know about this?" Kiry asked, Beth gave her an odd look, but shook her head.

"Why can't Merle know, are you sure you're okay?" Beth asked while Kiry rinsed out her mouth with the water from a bottle she'd grabbed when she'd told Merle to check on Daryl while she found them some food.

"No, yes... I mean I'm not sick, I don't think... I just... I'm late... but there's no way, I mean we only... and I shouldn't...he... I just don't know yet. Merle can under no circumstances find out about this until I know, okay, not a word you have to promise!" Kiry told her, Beth nodded in wide-eyed shock, was she saying what she thought she was saying?

"You're pregnant?" She whispered, Kiry rounded on her looking totally panicked.

"No, I don't know that, it could just be the stress and torture. Just don't tell any one, ever!" Kiry insisted, Beth held her free hand up defensively.

"I won't, we'll have to go on a run soon, we can get a test then right?" Beth asked, Kiry pulled something out of her pocket handing it to Beth.

"I took some from Woodbury, I... I'm too scared to take it." Kiry whispered, Beth looked down at it for a second.

"You have too, if you are we need to start preparing now, we already have Judith, it's not like you'll be a burden." She tried to reassure her, Kiry shook her head, it wasn't that at all, she wanted this baby, she wanted Merle's baby, but Merle wouldn't.

"I'm not worried about me... Merle told me once that he never wanted a kid, that it was the ultimate shackle... the worst thin that could come from sex..." Kiry trailed off tears welling up in her eye, what if she lost him to this, what if he didn't want her anymore?

"Kiry, Merle may be an ass hole, but he loves you, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that." Beth's comforting words had no weight, she knew that much already.

"I know, he does now... but he'll hate me for this." iry cried, sliding down on to the floor, Beth moved over to stand next to her holding the test out.

"Just take it, maybe it's nothing. I'll go get you two food." She told her, Kiry nodded taking the test and steeling herself for the worst.

Merle didn't want to leave Kiry, but he would never tell her that, what kind of pussy couldn't even go a few minutes without his woman. When he got upstairs he found Daryl and Sophia in the hall sitting on the floor, the kid was crying.

"What do ya know?" He asked sitting on the other side of Daryl, Daryl looked up looking almost as bad as the kid.

"She's still not awake, Hershel won't even let me in there." Daryl told him, Merle patted him on the shoulder curtly, it was all he had in him at this point. Than the door swung open and Maggie stuck her head out of it.

"What's her blood type?" Maggie asked a bit too frantically to help with Daryl's nerves.

"B positive, same as Merle." Daryl told her, he'd had to take Merle to the hospital more times than he could count, he knew almost his whole medical history.

"Good, get it here, she stable and Daddy should have her fixed up soon, but she needs blood." Maggie explained and Merle hurried to his feet, glad hat he hadn't snuck anything at Woodbury. Daryl and Sophia followed him, and they let them stay as long as they sat on the couch at the far side of the room. Sophia fell asleep after a few minutes, she hadn't slept in two days after all.

"I've done everything I can, she should wake up soon, but I have no way of telling if I got everything, she in the hands of God now." Hershel told him quietly, Daryl nodded trying not to wake Sophia, Merle left to find the promised food, he'd lost way too much blood lately. A few minutes after Hershel left Rick came in quietly.

"Rick?" Daryl whispered, Rick turned to him looking guilty. "What are you doin?" He asked looking down at the cuffs in Ricks hands.

"It's just a precaution." Rick whispered back, Daryl shook Sophia gently rousing her, she looked up at him in confusion.

"Go see how Merle's doin will ya, make sure Hershel has a look at him." Daryl told her, she nodded looking between the two men before she left. Daryl got up taking a step towards Rick.

"Daryl, she might..." Rick started, but Daryl took another step invading Rick's personal space.

"No!" Daryl growled in a low deadly tone taking the cuffs and throwing them out the open door into the wall.

"Daryl we..." Rick started again taking a step back, but Daryl still didn't let him finish stepping after him.

"Whatever happens I'll handle it, she's a Dixon, and we take care of our own, so don't you come in here thinkin you got any thin to say about this, it ain't your call. Keep 'phia down stairs." Daryl told him his tone evening out as he spoke, Rick nodded, he couldn't fault him for that. He would have thought the same thing if he'd had the chance with Lori.

"I'm sorry." Rick told him patting him on the shoulder, Daryl nodded, he got where Rick was coming from, but he couldn't let him do it, it was like saying she was going to die. He sat down at the edge of the bed soothing her hair back gently.

Rick left him to it, he knew Daryl would do what he had to, he grabbed food that had been set out on the table and headed for the deck where Michone had taken watch. Hershel had re-bandaged her eye, and given her some antibiotics, but she refused pain pills.

"Thought you might be hungry." Rick said so she'd know he was there, she sighed reaching out and taking the plate.

"I feel exposed, not being able to see on my left." Michone admitted, Rick sat down on the porch swing next to her.

"I'm sure you'll get used to it, if anyone can it's you. I'm just glad we made it out of there, Andy's boy betrayed us, I should have seen it coming." Rick groaned running his hand through his hair feeling rather overwhelmed.

"With all the people who go missing there was no reason to believe that." She reassured him, he managed a broken smile, she was right, but it wouldn't stop him from blaming himself.

"I'll stop blaming myself if you'll stop thinking you have to do everything alone." He offered, his hand brushing against hers, she looked down at his hand letting her pinky cover his.

"I'm working on it." She offered, he looked down too covering her hand with his and squeezing it gently.

"Me too." He told her getting up and leaving her to her watch, she watched him go, damn if she wasn't a gluten for punishment chasing after a broken man, but then who wasn't these days.

Rick went back inside getting his own food and looking around for Carl, he checked the kitchen first. No one was in there, but he could hear someone crying in the bathroom, he listened, it sounded like Kiry, but he could hear Beth in there with her, so he would leave them alone, it wasn't his place.

"Kiry, it's okay, Kiry, you've already taken two... I'm sorry, but being pregnant it's not that bad. No matter what happens with you and Merle you know the rest of us are here for you." Beth reassured her, patting her back Gently trying to get her to calm down.

"I'm okay, your right I just, I gotta tell him... I gotta... I gotta tell him. Oh God, how am I supposed to tell him?" She sobbed, taking deep breaths trying to quiet herself, Beth hugged her with her free hand.

"You don't have to do it alone." She told her, Kiry shook her head getting to her feet and wiping the tears from her face.

"No, I got this." Kiry sighed opening the door, she found Merle in one of the rooms on the third floor eating, he hadn't been able to find her when he grabbed his food, so he'd figured she hadn't wanted to be found.

"Hey Sugar, been lookin for you." He told her noticing her red rimmed eyes. "What's wrong, is Carol..?" He started, she shook her head sniffing, and taking a deep breath trying to steal herself.

"No, she's the same, but I ain't." She started, he furrowed his brow looking her over worry setting in quickly.

"What happened, are... are you bit?" He asked turning her around and checking for blood, she took a step back taking hold of both his hands.

"Stop, Merle it's... I'm pregnant." She whispered, hardly loud enough for him to even hear her, but he froze taking a step back like she'd pushed him.

"What... No, no Ain't no way! You said... you...No, it's just... just..." He stammered taking another step back, Kiry could feel the tears stinging at the back of her eyes.

"I took the test twice, I know. I'm sorry... I know... You don't have to do anything, I know you didn't want this. You never wanted this. Just... Don't talk to me until you figure it out... I couldn't handle it, if we fought over this now." Kiry told him walking away, Merle took a step after her, then fell back on to the bed, how could she just dump this on him and expect him to be okay.

He threw his plate at the wall watching it shatter, he still wanted to be with her, but a fucking kid. For fuck sake he could hardly take care of himself. He wasn't cut out to raise a kid, his own daddy had cut on him, ignored him, beaten him, how was he supposed to raise a kid?

She was handing him an out, but was he really willing to take it, could he lose her just so he didn't have to raise a kid. The mere thought of it made his stomach clench, and his head and heart hurt, he needed her now more than ever. He looked over at the nightstand where the doc had left him a handful of pain pills. He hadn't taken them because he knew he wouldn't stop, but now they were calling to him.

He got up snatching up the hand full of meds looking down at them, he had two choices now. He could down this hand full of pills, and never feel the pain of what was happening, he could abandon his family like he had done a hundred times before. Or he could be the man Kiry needed him to be, he could be a father.

"Merle?" Sophia's voice broke him out of his thoughts and he dropped the hand full of pills half off the table. Sophia looked down at the pills on the floor.

"Fuck sake firecracker, ya saved my ass, but if ya keep sneakin up on me your like to get hurt." Merle told her, she shook her head.

"Were you gonna take those?" She asked looking disappointed, for fuck sake even the kid was putting shit on his shoulders.

"Hadn't decided yet, the fuck's it to you?" He asked crouching down and gathering the pills up and setting them back on the desk.

"Dad told me to come find you, but Kiry was crying and I thought you might have had something to do with that." Sophia said looking rather unhappy, he cursed under his breath falling back on to the bed his face slumping down into his palms. For fuck sake even the kid was gonna ride him now.

"Well ya found me, now fuck off." Merle grumbled halfheartedly, Sophia ignored him hopping up on the bed and sitting cross-legged next to him.

"What happened?" She asked nudging him with her shoulder, he shot her his best scowl, but she seemed un-phased by it, the girl had spent too much time with his brother.

"Ain't none a your concern." He grumbled running his hand over his head trying to pull himself together.

"I know, but you're my uncle, and I wanna help, if you don't tell me Kiry will, and I'm sure she'll make you look bad." She told him, he sighed.

"It wouldn't be hard." Merle sighed, he really was a worthless piece of shit, how could he even think of abandoning her with this?

"I know you're a good guy uncle Merle, but sometimes you sure are stupid. Tell me what happened so I can help!" She insisted, he chuckled shaking his head while she laid on his arm which was now tucked behind his head.

"Fine if it'll shut ya up... Kiry's pregnant." He let slip, waiting for her to cry, or be scared for Kiry's life, like he was, but Sophia just nodded.

"And that's not good because?" She asked, he shook his head, the kid really was nieve.

"It's a risk." Merle managed even though that wasn't even close to everything, Sophia looked ver at him curiously.

"So is going outside, or sleeping. Nothing worth doing is easy, mom always said that. Kiry loves you, and I happen to think you'll make a good dad, like Daryl." Sophia told him, Merle thought about that for a minute.

"Go bug Carl, I gotta mull some shit over." Merle grumbled, Sophia sighed sitting up, she kissed Merle's cheek quickly.

"It's okay to be scared uncle Merle, Kiry says so too, just don't let it control you." She told him rushing off before he got mad. She went down the stairs two at a time and into the kitchen where Rick was standing with Beth cooing over Judith.

"Hey Mr. Grimmes have you seen Carl?"She asked politely, Rick looked up offering her a sympathetic smile.

"He's out back relieving Maggie and Glen." Rick told her, she nodded heading for the back door just as the couple opened it coming in to eat. Sophia slipped past them onto the back porch.

"Hey Grimmes." She said softly, she was glad he was alone, she didn't feel like she had to pretend to be okay with him.

"Hey Dixon, you okay?" He asked reaching out to her, she took his hand goin to stand next to him and keep him company during his watch.

"I'm worried about Mom, and apparently Kiry's pregnant, but mostly I guess I'm okay." She said honestly nudging him with her shoulder.

"Wow, I hope... I hope she doesn't..." Carl started remembering his own mother's death, Sophia leaned on to his shoulder with a little nod.

"I was thinking of asking Hershel to teach us how to do some of the medical stuff, so if something happens like with your mom we'll be ready." Sophia told him, he nodded wrapping his arm around her shoulder and reaching over to take the hand he'd dropped with his other hand.

"That's a good idea." Carl admitted leaning them back until they found the porch swing, Sophia curled her feet under her legs laying peacefully on Carl letting her eyes drift closed.

Daryl was starting to drift off and he knew that wasn't an option, so he got off the bed to pace until she woke up. His stomach was growling at him painfully, he hadn't eaten since the raw squirrel, but he refused to leave Carol. His mind was torturing him with what if scenarios, so much so that he almost missed when the room went silent, no more intake of breath, he whipped around.

"Carol!" He called out hurrying over to her, she wasn't breathing. He didn't even think before he took her head tilting it back and forcing her to breathe, then pumped her heart, he moved back to her lips and she lashed out grabbing a hold of him. He didn't push her away or try to stop her she had to be okay!


	22. Chapter 22

**Sorry about the cliff hanger, here's some more. Tell me what you think please!**

Her eyes flew open and they were clear, then she relaxed back into the bed breathing evenly, it wasn't until that second that he realized if she had turned he wouldn't have stopped her. He would have let her take him with her, because as much as he loved Sophia, Merle, Kiry, and even the rest of the group, without Carol he was as good as dead.

"I love you darlin, come back to me." He whispered kissing her head, her eyes fluttered open and she smiled up at him.

"Always." She whispered back, he fell to his knees kissing her deeply, he just needed to feel her beneath his lips.

"You gotta stop scarin me like that woman." He pleaded crawling into the bed with her, she curled up against his side her head laying on his chest.

"I'm sorry, I promise I'll never shoot me again pooky." She joked, he shook his head kissing her sweetly.

"Get some sleep you infuriating woman, I'll be right here when you wake up." He countered, she giggled, but did as she was told, she was so tired. She woke up to him kissing the uninjured side of her neck gently down to her breasts.

"Mm, morning." She moaned, he smirked up at her, God she loved it when he did that, he looked so sexy.

"Didn't mean to wake ya, just couldn't keep my hands off ya." He groaned rubbing his reason for the early morning exploits against her core drawing another moan from her lips.

"Fucking bullet wound!" Carol cursed making him chuckle, he got to his feet reluctantly, he really wished he could stay in bed with her forever and just lavish her, but he needed to help find a place to go.

"I love ya woman, but I gotta go help Rick and them figure a place to take us, not to mention I left 'Phia with my brother, and ain't nobody want her pickin up traits from him. I'll bring ya somethin ta eat in a bit." He told her kissing her one last time before heading down stairs. Everyone but Rick, Merle, 'Phia and Carl were sitting in the kitchen having breakfast, Kiry seemed off, but he'd deal with that once he found 'Phia. "Where's my girl?" Daryl asked, Beth didn't seem to notice him,she was too busy giving worried looks to Kiry for some reason.

"Out back." Glen offered trying to hide a smile, oh for fuck sake did everyone have something they weren't telling him? Daryl went out back, Rick was leaning on the railing on watch, but he didn't see 'Phia.

"Hey, 'Phia out here?" Daryl asked, Rick smirked nodding over to the seat behind him, Daryl turned to see Sophia asleep on Carl's lap with his coat over her shoulders, Carl was asleep to with one hand on her shoulder and the other behind his head.

Daryl growled leaning over and grabbing Carl by the boot, he yanked him out from under Sophia and onto his ass. Carl was startled awake and turned white as a sheet when he saw Daryl glaring down at him knowing he'd caught them.

"Keep your fuckin mitts off my daughter!" Daryl snarled, Rick put his hand on Daryl's shoulder in a placating gesture.

"Daryl." He pushed, Daryl shot him a glare too before he scooped Sophia up off the bench tossing Carl's coat at him roughly. He brought her up to Carol setting her gently down on the bed, Carol stirred looking over at him curiously.

"I thought you were bringing food, no offense, but she's too gamey." Carol joked quietly, Daryl shook his head leaning down to steal a kiss.

"Found her snuggled up with Rick's boy, I swear to Christ I'm gonna have to put an arrow through that boy's ass." Daryl grumbled, she chuckled squeezing his hand lightly.

"She could do worse then Carl, try not to shoot anyone until I'm back on my feet." She told him, he sighed offering her a far too serious nod before he headed back down stairs. By the time he'd gotten back down to the kitchen half the group was gone. Glen laughed out right as soon as he saw him.

"Shut it short round! Where the hell is everybody, thought we were havin a fucking meeting?" Dayl asked, Beth looked up from Judith.

"Just sit and eat first, Rick and Carl are on watch and Kiry and Merle need a minute." Beth told him, he frowned taking a plate.

"Ain't no time for them to be runnin off fuckin." Daryl grumbled, Beth glared over at him like he had just said they were out kicking puppies.

"What the fuck's your problem?" He asked defensively, she shook her head lookin back down at Judith.

"Just eat your food." She grumbled, Daryl didn't know what was going on, but he shut his mouth and ate his food.

"Kiry, can we talk?" Merle asked, Kiry had never heard him sound more serious and she didn't know if that was a good sin or not, but she let him lead her into a room.

"If you're about to tell me how you ain't up for a kid, but you still wanna sleep with me you can save it, I told you already it's all or nothing, I can handle it." She told him sounding broken, she had never realized just how much she believed in him, and having him ripped away by something so stupid was tearing her apart.

"That ain't wy I wanna talk to ya woman, just listen for once." He grumbled, Kiry watched him wearily, it would be so much worse if he said he'd take care of the kid, but couldn't be with her anymore.

"Fine." She allowed, he sighed running his good hand over his head nervously, he didn't know how to do this shit.

"Look, I... I love you, and I ain't worth shit, but I wanna try if you'll let me." He whispered, he didn't think he was enough, but he'd never thought he was good enough for her, but it was all he had to offer, it was up to her if she took it. She eyed him suspiciously for a moment.

"Do you really mean that, I mean you hate kids." Kiry started, Merle closed the distance between them in two long strides.

"I ain't got nothin against kids, I just... I ain't gonna be worth shit as a dad, you saw Buck. Daryl ain't like that, but... I am." Merle whispered letting his hand trail up her hips to the small hollow of her stomach, he needed to get her more to eat.

"That's why you didn't want kids, because of Buck? Merle... Sure you got his eyes and his build, and maybe even his addictions, but you're nothing like him! Buck Dixon never stood for anything. Merle, every time I've ever needed you, you've come through. That's why I love you, because you're sweet and protective, and funny, and sexy, and everything your father wasn't, so don't ever compare yourself with that shit head ever again!" Kiry told him taking his face in her hands and pulling him down so she could kiss him passionately to emphasize her point, he was all she'd ever wanted, and he thought he wasn't good enough, sometimes he was so stupid.

"Ya just don't get too fuckin crazy if I fuck this up." Merle told her quietly leaning his head against hers. Sh smiled feeling the weight of the world lift off her shoulders. She was so glad he hadn't run away, she talked a good game, but she didn't think she could do this without him.

"No promises." She joked, he growled kissing her rough and desperate, he was so grateful she hadn't tuned him out. He picked her off the ground carrying her towards the bed and leaning down on top of her letting his good hand roam down her body. She moaned, but stopped him with a gentle push against his chest, he pulled away looking down at her.

"We're supposed to be helping make a plan." Kiry told him reluctantly, Merle growled kissing her neck making her quiver.

"Fuck the plan, I'm sure they got it." Merle's voice was a deep rumble in her ear that made her want to melt into him.

"Mm, Merle we have to help, please?" She pleaded unable to actually stop him, it just felt to good to have him touching her. He sighed getting to his feet and pulling her with him.

"What do ya wanna tell the group?" Merle asked running his hand down her arm gently until he could tangle his fingers with hers.

"The truth I guess, not the details so don't even start, but they need to know... will... will you tell them?" She asked feeling like she'd put the whole group in more danger, she knew it wasn't really true, they would be in no more danger then they were with Judith, but she felt like she'd failed somehow.

"I can do that, if you make it worth my while." He purred in her ear leaning down to kiss her neck, she leaned into him.

"Mm, I'll make it more than worth your while big guy." She promised slipping out from under his touch reluctantly, they really did need to get back and help. He sighed following her out to the kitchen so they could be helpful. Merle could still feel a tight pain in his chest, that crushing panic that came from the idea of having someone who relied completely on him, but he could handle it as long as he didn't have to do it alone.

When they got out there Daryl was impatiently poring over a map, and Rick was just joining him, so Merle flopped down in a chair grabbing himself a plate.

"About fuckin time, Merle you remember that girl you brought home for a few week, that crazy Rambo chick?" Daryl asked, Merle shot him a look like he was an idiot.

"Ya, why?" He growled trough a mouth full of food while Kiry picked at her food, why the fuck was his brother bringing up some chick he fucked a decade ago.

"She kept bitchin about this place... Here. She said it was a bitch to get in and out of. Blackburn or something, it was a boot camp survivalist thing in the mountains. She said it had a big stone wall around the front and butted up against a cliff. It could be exactly what we're looking for." Daryl told him, he raised a brow at him.

"Or it could not even be there, she was a drugged up bitch that took a fucking week to get off our fucking couch." Merle grumbled reaching out under the table and rubbing his good hand over Kiry's knee. She covered his hand giving it a squeeze, she knew about most of Merle's conquests, but that didn't make hearing about them any better.

"I know it's over by Enota, it's not that far off, it would be worth a look, unless we've got a better plan." Daryl countered, Rick looked at the spot on the map, it looked like a decent place for a safe haven. To be honest he didn't have a better plan, he'd long since run out of places that might be safe.

"We don't have anything else, we haven't had anything else in a longtime, why didn't you tell us about this earlier?" Rick asked, Daryl shrugged circling the spot on the map.

"I couldn't remember where the fuckin place was, a few weeks pack I saw a flier for it a few weeks back on a run, but we had the prison, it didn't seem like we wanted to move, and it's still ain't a sure thing. It's pretty far off the beaten if we go out there we might end up walkin back." Daryl explained, Rick nodded, he was right, they would need to find enough gas to get there and back before they left.

"We have to try, we can't stay on the run with Judith." Glen put in, Merle sighed pushing his chair back and standing up.

"It's worth a shot, we won't be able to run long, with Kiry... she's pregnant." Merle told them, a few jaws dropped at the table, but Beth's wasn't one of them. Daryl looked over at Kiry, who seemed to be fine, Merle on the other hand was a bit ragged.

Daryl knew Merle didn't handle big life altering events well, he knew this one would take it's toll, but at least he seemed to be holding it together. He was glad Carol wasn't the one going through this, he loved Carol, and he wanted to have kids with her some day, but nothing was worth losing her.

"Congratulations?" Rick more asked then said, Kiry smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes, she was happier now knowing Merle would be there with her, but she was still scared of every part of this, she could die like Lori, or so many other things could go wrong. Even if it all went perfectly, then they had a tiny helpless child to protect, what if she failed?

"Thanks, I... we didn't mean for this, but I don't want us rushing into this because of it. We need to do this right. I figure we've got no more than three days here before the Governor comes knocking, so today we all head out in three groups, gather as many supplies as we can find. We map out our route tonight, and head out in the morning." Kiry offered, it was a sound plan and everyone seemed to agree, so Daryl grabbed a large plate of food for Carol and Sophia.

"Dad caught me and Carl on the porch didn't he?" Sophia whispered, her eyes still closed, Carol smiled soothing her daughter's hair back gently.

"So I heard, what were you two doing out there?" She asked, Sophia sighed looking up at her mom trying to look innocent.

"Just taking watch, I haven't even kissed him since Woodbury." Sophia offered, Carol's jaw dropped, her baby girl was kissing Carl now?

"Oh baby, never tell Daryl that, he would shoot that boy! I'm glad you're happy though, I know how hard it is to feel safe in these times and if Carl makes you happy then I support you, just try and remember you're only fourteen. Take it slow for me, please." Carol told her, Sophia smiled letting her mom hug her with the arm that wasn't in a sling.

"How are my two favorite girls?" Daryl asked handing a plate to Sophia who looked down at it sheepishly.

"I feel better, but it seems Sophia is worried that you're mad at her." Carol told him, he shook his head sitting on the edge of the bed his hand going instinctively to Carol's.

"I'm not mad at you 'Phia, Carl's another story, but that ain't the point. Share that with your momma. I'm headed out on a run with most of the group, Hershel, Beth, and Michone are staying, but we need supplies. We found a place we think, but we'll need to stock up to get there, I'll be back before tonight, so ain't no reason to argue." Daryl said pointedly looking at Carol, Sophia looked up from the food questioningly.

"Does that mean I get to go?" Sopiha asked, Daryl sighed looking nervously over at Carol.

"If your momma don't mind, you can come with my group, but that ain't up to me." Daryl told her, she looked excitedly over at Carol.

"Oh sure, turn her puppy dog eyes on me. Of course you can go, as long as you stay with Daryl." She told her, she grinned grabbing a biscuit and shoveling half the powdered eggs down quickly so she could go get ready, and hurried out of the room.

"I wish I could go with you, bullet wounds never let me have any fun." Carol pouted, Daryl shook his head toeing out of his boots and sitting next to her, he knew 'Phia would get everything ready for him, and he needed a minute with his woman.

"I wish I didn't have to leave ya here." He told her resting his arm around her shoulder while she ate her food. She sighed leaning into him running her good hand down his chest slowly trailing over his jeans. Daryl swallowed hard leaning his head back to enjoy the way she touched him.

"When you get back..." She whispered kissing her way up from his shoulder to his lips before she continued. "I better get a moment of your time." She told him slipping her hand under his waist line.

"Hey dad, we're just waiting on you." Sophia called out as she opened the door and Carol hurried to pull her hand away from him. He growled at the loss of her touch trying to stop the growing issue he was having because of her.

"You're gonna pay for this later." He growled in her ear sending a quiver straight to her core before he kissed her goodbye. "I'll be back woman." He promised getting off the bed to go with the group.

"What took ya so long baby brother?" Merle asked trying not to be so observant as to notice why it had taken him so long.

"Shut up Merle." Daryl groaned grabbing one of the maps, he circled where they were headed and handing it to Michone. "If anything happens we meet here." Daryl told her, Michone nodded taking the map from him.

They ended up splitting up into four groups Merle and Kiry, Rick and Carl, Maggie and Glen, and Daryl and Sophia. They each headed a different direction to get gas and food, Daryl and Sophia headed into the woods since they were the best hunters.

Merle and Kiry were supposed to hit the small town to the south, and Rick and Carl went to the one to the south-east, while Glenn and Maggie hit up the big city to their north since Glen was the best at getting in and out without notice.

"Dad, you shouldn't be mad at Carl." Sophia whispered as she pulled her arrow out of a rabbit adding it to her string of game. Daryl sighed walking in silence for a moment before he replied.

"I ain't mad, but ya gotta remember, I'm new to all this shit. Ya can't expect me to be okay with you chasin after some boy, damn girl ya ain't even old enough to be thinkin about shit like that." Daryl grumbled quietly, Sophia smiled bumping him with her shoulder.

"Thank you." She told him, he looked down confused, what was with these women and thanking him for no apparent reason. Hell if you met him after he ran off that high way you'd think he was a saint to hear them tell it.

"For what?" He asked hitting a walker between the eyes, Sophia took that time to peg a squirrel, it was so much easier to get a kill with two people, Daryl couldn't count the game he'd lost to walker.

"For loving my mom, and taking care of us. If it weren't for you I'd have died on that road, and I don't think mom would have made it much longer. I know you're not my father, but you're the only dad I've ever had, so I guess if you wanna be over protective and mean to Carl because you think he's gonna take me away from you. I guess I'm grateful, because nobody but mom's ever cared enough to do that, but even though I haven't known you that long, I'll always be your little girl." Sophia told him in a hushed tone so she wouldn't scare the game away. Daryl slowed to a halt staring at her, how was this the same little girl who'd been afraid to leave her momma's side? She was so grown up now, but he guessed that was the world they lived in now.

"'Phia, come here." Daryl told her crouching down, she turned around shifting her bow into one hand. He pulled her into a one-armed hug.

"You and your momma, you two are the est thing that ever happened to me, I ain't goin nowhere, I love ya both more than anythin in my life, just... don't tell Merle." He joked, Sophia laughed smacking him in the arm.

"Promise, all of you love me the most anyway, it's cause I'm adorable and bad ass, you can't help it." She joked back as Daryl got to his feet, he chuckled ruffling her hair. She swatted his hand away the way Kiry always did.

"Smart ass." He called her getting back to the task at hand, he didn't know how his life had changed so much, but he was glad it had. He was glad he'd followed her car, glad he'd followed Sophia of that highway, hell he was even glad Merle'd gotten left on that roof as sick as it sounded. He would still be chasing his tail, feeling like a worthless piece of shit if it weren't for all those things. They didn't talk again during the hunt, but Daryl couldn't wipe the smirk off his face at the thought of actually being a good dad.


	23. Chapter 23

**Okay this one is action light, but still good, tell me what you think pretty please!**

For once things went pretty well, no one ran into anything they couldn't handle, Daryl didn't get back until well after dark, but they got on the road by morning. Merle and Kiry had even gone back to the prison and retrieved Merle's bike, they loaded it into a four door truck they'd picked up. Kiry, Merle, Sophia, Carol and Daryl all piled into it, while Rick Carl and Michonne took the other truck, and Maggie, Glen, Hershel, Beth, and Judith took the car.

Daryl, Sophia and Carol were in the back, Daryl's head was rested on Carol's shoulder so he could maybe get a little more sleep, and Sophia was tucked into Daryl's side already out. Carol yawned thinking maybe a little sleep would be a good idea, while she stroked Daryl's matte hair down.

"Merle!" Kiry called out, Merle flashed his lights pulling the truck over quickly, Kiry jumped out heaving up breakfast all over the ditch, Carol sat up looking worried even though no one else seemed to care.

"Is she sick, what happened?" Carol asked, Daryl opened his tired eyes looking over at her with a guilty half-smile.

"She's pregnant, I ah... I was supposed to tell you last night, but you were already asleep." Daryl mumbled, Carol sighed rolling her eyes at him.

"God getting shot really takes ya out a the loop, go back to sleep ya knuckle head." Carol told him relaxing back into her seat since getting up would mean dumping Daryl onto the seat and waking up Sophia. Merle on the other hand had jumped out after her and was holding her hair back.

He didn't know how to take care of a kid, but he'd taken care of more than his share of sick people, hell he'd been that person more times than he could count. He rubbed her back gently with the smooth side of his metal prosthetic until she was done.

"Ya good?" He asked letting go of her hair and handing her his flask, which sadly had flat ginger ale in it and not whiskey. She greedily drank down half the flask glad for something to wash the taste out of her mouth and settle her stomach.

"This sucks, next time you can carry the kid. Breakfast is way better the first time." Kiry grumbled taking a tube of travel toothpaste out of her pocket and rubbing a finger's worth over her teeth and tongue. Merle pulled her into his side kissing the top of her head since as per her request no one was jumping out of their cars and making a big deal out of this.

"Sorry sugar, let's get ya a bag or somethin, ain't gonna make it nowhere if we gotta stop all God damn day." Merle said, it was practical, but Kiry still punched him in the chest.

"Stop your bitchin big guy, this is half your damn fault." She told him, he chuckled rubbing his chest. She was so hot when she was mad, she started to huff off to the truck, but Merle grabbed her arm with his good hand pulling her back into a kiss.

"Be nice sugar, or I'll make your ass sit in the back with the damn kids." He growled in her ear, she leaned into him enjoying the chills he sent through her before grabbing his crotch.

"I'm always nice." She told him running her hand up the length of him before turning away and getting back into the truck. She closed the door and tucked her feet up under her legs leaning over onto Merle's shoulder.

"How ya doin, I think we have crackers in the back, I would have put them up here, but someone neglected to tell me you were pregnant until a minute ago." Carol said pointedly, Merle laughed while Daryl grimaced trying to pretend he was asleep.

"I'm good for now, I figure we should save stuff like that for when it gets worse, but hey maybe it won't get worse right?" Kiry asked hopefully since she was the only one in the group that had actually had a kid before.

"Sorry sweety, but it doesn't really get much better, though I hear sex will be great in the third trimester if it helps." Carol offered, Kiry, and Merle laughed outright while Daryl snorted, turning red, he was still trying to maintain that he was asleep.

"That's comforting." Kiry managed after a few seconds of laughter, Carol gave her a sweet motherly smile.

"You won't have to go through any of it alone sweety, once we get out to Blackburn we'll have Hershel train everyone to help, so nothing bad will happen, I promise." Carol told her reaching up to the front, Kiry took her hand giving it a squeeze, she was glad Carol was there, it was comforting to have someone who'd been through it all before.

It was a four-day drive to Blackburn so they all settled in for a long drive, Carol would never have said it, but she was glad Kiry was having morning sickness, it kept her from having to ask to use the bathroom. She remembered the last time they'd been on the road Daryl had made her pee in a cup since her and Sophia apparently were the only ones in the group with tiny bladders.

Most of the time was spent sleeping, Kiry didn't like long drives, it made her restless even under the best circumstances. They had switched drivers twice before it was really starting to get to her, Merle kept shooting hr glances because she was fidgeting in her seat while everyone else slept in the back.

"What!?" She finally snapped at him, he looked her up and down skeptically.

"Ya ain't gonna start bouncin in your seat right, cause I've sat still better on speed sugar?" Merle asked, she shifted again sneering at him.

"I'm restless, I didn't have a car after you guys left me. I walked everywhere." She told him, he looked back out the window feeling guilty.

"I saw you go down." He whispered, she watched him for a second, she hadn't meant to make him feel bad it had just been a long time since she was stuck in a car for so long. When they were searching for the prison they'd been mostly on runs, now she felt bad.

"I know, I'm sorry, I just... I'm bored." She told him scooting over and stealing his hand from the steering wheel, making him steer with his prosthetic.

"Well there's a kid in the back otherwise I'd tell ya to put that attention to better use." Merle joked cocking an eyebrow at her, she shook her head making a face at him.

"Perv!" she accused smacking his arm, he chuckled pulling her closer and stealing a quick kiss which made her melt into him.

"Hey do you remember Vegas?" She asked, he cringed, it had not been one of his finer moments from what he remembered.

"Not as well as I'd like to." Merle admitted, Kiry smiled stretching out so she could lay on his lap with her feet on the window.

"Daryl was trying to fix my stupid TV when you called, and I just kept thinking that if you'd been there I would have already been watching it again. It was when you had that trucking job cross-country and you called from Vegas saying I needed to use your card to buy a plane ticket." She told him kicking her boots off and wiggling her toes happily.

"I vaguely remember that." Merle offered, his voice an octave lower than normal with her head so close to his cock.

"Well you met me at the airport, and you were sweet, and you took me out to a nice restaurant, I should have known then that you were on something." She told him, he didn't remember that part.

"If you say so, ya lost me on the drive to the airport." He told her honestly, she sighed running her hand up his chest for something to do.

"Well we drank... a lot. Then we spent the night running around getting a wedding license, because I'd told you I wouldn't sleep with you until you married me. Which was obviously bull." She joked reaching up and grabbing his junk. He squirmed under her touch weighing the likelihood of them waking up with his need to take her.

"I can understand the need right fuckin now." Merle growled grinding his hard on into her hand, she chuckled running her hand up and down him absent-mindedly.

"Well we got one, and we got married, and we got a hotel room, since we couldn't remember where yours was, we even made it to the bed making out, then you passed out." She explained he fidgeted trying to get her to pay more attention to the issue that was never going away now.

"Blue balls can do that to a man." He snarled, she laughed reaching up with her other hand amusing herself by torturing him.

"When we woke up you didn't remember any of it, and there was a message from Daryl asking if we'd really gotten hitched, you freaked out and we got an annulment." she told him sticking her other hand down his now unbuttoned pants.

"Ya I remember that part, I was pissed I could remember our wedding, I didn't want you to have a shit day like that." Merle told her, which was a side of the story she'd never heard, she had just thought he hadn't wanted to be married.

"So you're not opposed to being my husband?" She asked squeezing his cock deviously, she knew he had a hard time lying when she had him all worked up.

"Right now I'd be your fucking wife if you'd just finish what you'd started!" He growled quietly not wanting to wake anyone up, because he knew he wouldn't get any if he did. She stopped rolling over onto her knees to look him in the eyes while still holding him under his jeans.

"Really Merle, I wanna know." She whispered seriously, he took a deep breath trying to collect his thoughts while she had a grip on his cock.

"You tell any one this shit and I'll lie, but I ain't ever been worried about spendin my life with you girl, fuck you wanna get married right now, I'm with ya. I ain't never been serious about anyone 'cause they ain't never measured up to you. Now for fuck sake woman, suck my fuckin cock before I pull over and take you." He snarled hardly loud enough for her to hear over the engine.

She couldn't keep the smile off her face as she did just that, Merle struggled to keep his focus on the road. Merle had to pull over right before he finished, so he wouldn't crash. Daryl woke up as the car came to a stop, all he saw was Merle pile out of the car and while Kiry stretched out grabbing a bottle out of the side pocket of his door.

"The fuck's going on?" Daryl groaned, Kiry leaned back into her seat taking a drink of the water she'd snagged.

"I don't know I was sleeping." Kiry said innocently, Daryl scowled since she was obviously lying to him.

"Oh, mother fucker, you two were fuckin around with my kid in the fuckin back!?" Daryl accused in a hushed sneer, Kiry just shrugged while a blush crept up to her ears. Daryl shook his head leaning over and kissing Carol sweetly. Her eyes fluttered open and she reached up tangling her fingers in his matted hair, loving the salted taste of his lips on hers.

"Mm, did we stop?" She asked sleepily stretching out over his lap, he ran his calloused hands over the patch of smooth pale skin exposed by her midriff. He couldn't wait until they had their own place, he'd kill for some time alone with her. Maybe he could understand them having a go while everyone was asleep.

"Ya, I figure ain't no point wastin a pit stop." Daryl told her his focus was else where and it reflected in his voice. She smiled up at him contentedly taking his hand and bringing it to her lips.

"Good idea." She mumbled getting up, they all filed out of the car eager to stretch their legs, Rick didn't question why they'd stopped without warning. They'd been on the road for more than two days now and everyone was getting restless.

Sophia grabbed Carl while everyone was busy doing their business, she missed him,but she knew Daryl would have a fit if he saw them talking no matter what he'd said in the woods. He pulled her to a stop just out of view from the group keeping a hold of her hand.

"I missed you." Sophia mumbled suddenly feeling shy, Carl smiled grabbing her other hand and leaning to the side to catch her eye.

"I missed you too, you should try and see if they'll let you ride with us, only getting to see you when we stop sucks." Carl told her, she smiled letting him pull her closer so she could lean on his shoulder, he wrapped one arm around her waist.

"Dad will never go for it, he's agreed not to shoot you though, so that's progress." She joked, Carl smiled burying his face in her golden tresses.

"Well that's good, I like all my parts." Carl told her, she sighed, they'd have to go back to the car soon, she moved away from him remembering what she'd grabbed at the mini mall at the last stop.

"Hey, I got you something." She told him letting her bag fall off her shoulders, he looked over her shoulder trying to see what it was. She pulled out the bag from the book store out of her back pack and handed it to him.

"What is it?" He asked looking at the bag, Sophia rolled her eyes at him.

"Well open it and find out, Grimmes." She told him, he smiled pulling the bag off excitedly revealing a stack of comics including her favorite on top, Science dog. She recognized it from the shirt he had in the quarry.

"Oh, wow! These are awesome, I can't believe you found these! You're amazing." He told her pulling her back into him and kissing her sweetly. He was getting better at this, she was so soft, and she flicked her tongue out over his bottom lip, which he loved. He tried to match her nipping at her bottom lip, and she opened her mouth to him.

They broke apart both feeling hot under the collar, but they knew they had to get back, and Sophia still hadn't figured out how to take it any further yet. She bit her lip trying to keep from blushing backing up slowly.

"See ya later Grimmes." She told him turning back towards the car, Carl leaned back against the tree with a sigh. He took a second to compose himself then headed back to the car.

"Where'd you get those?" Rick asked when he saw Carl get in the back and start flipping through his new comics.

"'Phia got 'em for me at the last stop." Carl told him a smile playing across his lips without a thought. Rick and Michonne shared a smile too, they were glad he was happy, Rick had been worried that when they lost Lori, they would lose each other too.

"I'm glad you two get along, but be sure to respect her, 'cause I'm sure Daryl has an arrow with your name on it for the second Sophia gives him the okay." Rick told him, Carl nodded, like he hadn't already known that, no he knew the risks, but she was worth it.

Carl read for hours before he got too tired to keep his eyes open. He put his comics back in their bags carefully and curled up on the seat closing his eyes. Michonne was silent company for the most part, and Rick was glad. He hadn't been much for talk since he'd lost Lori, he'd loved her, but he didn't know if he had been in love with her at the end.

He'd needed her, he'd lost his best friend to keep her safe and all he'd needed was a word of comfort, or some faith that he'd done the right thing, but she scorned him. When he needed her most she showed that Shane had been the one she'd chosen, and he couldn't even be mad.

He'd loved Shane like a brother and if she'd told him that she wanted to be with him he would have stood down, let her be happy. He just couldn't look at her the same after that, but he forgave her, and he'd never said a word to her. There's something to be said for hind sight, he would never leave anything unsaid again.

"How's your head?" Rick asked when he saw Michonne picking at the bandage over her eye, she dropped her hand looking over at him.

"Mostly it just itches, it feels like it's still there sometimes." She admitted leaning her head back with a heavy sigh.

"I'm sorry I couldn't stop him." Rick whispered, Michonne sat forward shaking her head.

"It wasn't on you Rick, I lead this problem to your door, Merle was following me when he found your people." Michonne told him staring out the window mournfully, Rick reached over putting his hand on her shoulder.

"Merle's been looking for Daryl since the second they got separated he would have found us eventually." Rick reassured her, she sighed covering his hand with hers.

"Maybe, but nothing that happened was your fault." Michonne told him, he managed a weak smile squeezing her hand gently.

"Yours either." He reassured her, she chuckled letting her hand fall back to her lap.

"Quite the pair we are, broken and blaming ourselves for everything." Michonne pointed out, Rick put his hand back on the wheel.

"Well maybe if we keep company with people who tell us otherwise, we might actually start to listen." Rick told her, she smiled a rare genuine smile offering him a little nod, maybe he was right. She leaned her seat back closing her eye in hopes that the dull throb in her eye socket would go away.

She lost track of time as she drifted in and out of sleep, they didn't see many walkers out this way. Though there weren't many towns either, they'd have to rely solely on what the could hunt and grow. Any runs worth the gas would be at least a days ride.

They pulled onto the road and didn't make it twenty feet before they hit a road block, Rick pulled over to check it out. The whole group gathered in front of the stake block, they were huge wooden dowels sharpened on one end tied in X's and buried at least a foot into the ground each.

There were emaciated corpses impaled on them like Morgan had set up, only these stretched past the road into the ditch. Some one didn't want people driving into this area, which was a good sign in terms of walkers or outsider, but it could also mean someone was living here.

"What do you think?" Rick asked Daryl who had come up and was checking over the stakes carefully.

"They ain't new, none of 'em. For all we know it could a been put up when this shit started." Daryl told them, the smell of the bodies had Kiry losing her lunch in the ditch while Merle held her hair. Sophia was poking at one of the bodies, it moaned and lifted its head half an inch before going still again.

"They're starving to death." Sophia whispered, Carl looked them over at her words, they were hardly moving, and most were dead, but they were plainly starving.

"She's right, they can starve to death." Carl said louder than she had, the whole group took notice then. Daryl came over standing behind Sophia and in front of Carl and look at the walker they were examining, and at his nod the thought started to really sink in.

"So they're dieing out, starving?" Carol asked joining him, he absently tangled his fingers with hers, he didn't know when it had become second nature to touch her, but he was glad it didn't still make him uncomfortable. He wanted to touch her, to make her feel safe and he couldn't do that it he was too awkward to show her he cared.

"Looks like." Daryl answered, which stirred a bit of a commotion from the group, if they were starving maybe they could out last them.

"That's promising." Hershel commented from his spot near Beth and Rick, who for a change was holding his daughter and not Beth.

"Well what do we do, if we go around we'll have to leave the cars?" Maggie asked, normally this would be where Merle would volunteer Daryl and himself to scout ahead, but Merle hadn't even heard them ask, he was too busy grumbling at Kiry for being too damn needy, which resulted in a resounding thwack to the back of his head making Merle laugh.

"We could take your Bike and scout ahead couldn't we?" Carol asked, Daryl drew his attention back to Carl who had bumped him with her shoulder.

"Ya, pull it around this fuckin thing and follow the road up. Ain't got a fuckin clue what we're gonna find though might be better to hoof it, keep it quiet." Daryl told her, she nodded thoughtfully leaning into him, so he let o of her hand in favor of wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"Alright so Daryl you take a group and scout ahead, Carl, Michone and I'll check the other roads, see if we can find a way through. The rest of you fall back to that little bar, clear it out, loot it, and we'll all meet back there tomorrow night." Rick told them, it was a decent plan, they couldn't lug Kiry around with her puking her guts out unfortunately.

"We'll pull the bike down and stash it here so we got wheels when we're done in there." Daryl said letting go of Carol and throwing himself onto the back of the truck. He slid the ramp off the tailgate and Rick helped him roll it down.

"What ya doin with my bike baby brother?" Merle asked watching as everyone started getting ready to go.

"Carol and me are headed up to scout the place out, you're headed back to the bar to clear it out." Daryl told him, Merle looked around for a minute.

"Hold up brother, you sendin me with the bitch detail, I lost my hand not my balls!" Merle growled, Kiry looked at them feeling disappointed, but she'd have to get used to it. Oh God, or the next nine months she would be no better than Lori. A useless, nauseous, fat, slow, blimp of a woman, ugh she had been doomed to nine months of boredom and weighing people down. She didn't want to do that to Merle.

"Carol." Kiry called her over with a nod, while Daryl turned to his brother.

"You wanna leave Kiry to help?" Daryl asked, Merle grumbled he didn't want to be left to sit on his ass, but leaving Kiry made his chest ache. He curse under his breath and went to help Glen, Sophia caught him mid stride bumping into him.

"Second string sucks hu uncle Merle?" She joked, he sighed. Was that his lot now hanging back with the second string so he could play nursemaid to his woman? He loved Kiry, and he wanted to be there for her, but he wasn't exactly the nurturing type. He wanted to fucking kill shit, to take the risks so his family didn't have to, not that he'd ever admit to being such a pussy.

"You alright?" Carol asked, Kiry shrugged her hand going to her stomach without really thinking about it.

"I've been better, look I... I know that I have to stay and keep house. Don't wanna risk getting sick out there when you guys need me, or getting falcon bunched or some shit, but you guys should take Merle. He'll just sit around and bitch if you don't and honestly I can't handle that right now when I wanna be bitching almost as much as him." Kiry joked, but the humor didn't reach her eyes, she was really unhappy about being a burden to them, something Carol understood completely.

"Okay, but Kiry, you're still pulling your weight, and I know you'll never stop, no matter how heavy you get." Carol told her, she laughed for real this time hugging Carol.

"Ya, just keep Merle safe okay, the lug head has never been good at being careful." Kiry told her, Carol nodded slipping out of the hug and letting her hand hold her sisters while she turned to leave giving it a squeeze before she couldn't reach her anymore.

"Merle, you comin or what?" Carol asked him while Daryl hid the bike, Daryl stopped looking back at Carol to figure out what she was doing. Kiry gave him a weak smile when he looked her way to see if it was okay.

"Fuck ya, you ain't gonna get all weepy or some shit are ya girl?" Merl asked Kiry, his way of asking if she'd be okay without him, of course she wouldn't be. Everything about this whole pregnant thing scared her, it would take so little to lose it now. She was malnourished, under weight for her size, not getting enough sleep, and it would only get worse, but he could never know that.

"I ain't your keeper Merle, go if you're gonna. I'll do fine, you're the one I'd worry about." Kiry told him, he smiled closing the distance between them in three long strides and kissed her. Even Carol blushed at the display, but she knew she had no room to talk.

"Hey firecracker, look after my girl, she can't seem to take care a her damn self... Don't start girl I know you ain't eaten all day." He told Sophia and Kiry, Kiry looked guilty, she knew she had to eat, but everything made her sick, and she hated people fussing over her. The Dixon boys had always had to take care of her, that's why she'd worked so hard to be able to protect her self.

"Get the fuck out a here Merle." Kiry rolled her eyes going with Sophia back to the truck.


	24. Chapter 24

**New people to meet in this one tell me what you think.**

They headed into the woods quietly, Merle's steps were heavier than there's, which is why Daryl didn't usually bring him hunting, but they still took down some small game, no reason to waste the walk. Merle seemed distracted though.

Merle had this nagging feeling like Kiry was unhappy, she had told him he could go, but the more he thought about it, the more he thought about it though, the more he thought she was lying about it being okay. He could feel his balls falling off as he thought it, but he wanted to take care of her, to make her happy, and he was shit at it.

"Hey girl what'd Kiry wanna talk to ya?" Merle asked quietly touching her arm so she'd slow down and walk with him, he'd swear those two were connected at the hip with how close they constantly were. Daryl walked ahead knowing Merle hated talking about anything that effected him emotionally so he'd give him space to talk about Kiry.

"She just wanted us to take you with, I think she's worried about making you feel caged, she's a smart girl, and she knows you." Carol told him, he nodded picking up the pace to kill a walker before Daryl got to it. She was still walking on eggshells with him, he knew he'd been a fuck head, but was he really so bad that she thought he'd bolt if she asked anything from him?

They walked for almost two hours before they saw the walls of Blackburn, the woods were full of game, if anyone was living out here they weren't doing too much hunting. They made their way around to the gate, those same stakes were by the gate.

"These are just as old as the ones by the road." Daryl told her, Carol nodded bumping his shoulder so he'd look over at her, she stole a kiss when he did making him smile.

"That's a good thing isn't it?" She asked, he looped his arm around her waist pulling her close.

"Baby brother's worried that if there is someone here they been hunkered down since the start and they ain't keen on takin in new folks." Merle answered her question for him going up to the big metal gate, the trench where the wheel on the bottom rolled had fresh turned marks, they hadn't been washed out by any rain so they couldn't be more than a week old.

"Somebody's here, look at this." Merle told them, they came over and saw what he had, while Merle tried to open the gate.

"No way we get in here brother, Gonna have to throw someone over." Merle continued to plan, Daryl frowned, there was no way he and Carol could hoist Merle over that gate. It was the only part of the wall that isn't topped with razor wire, but it was half a foot taller.

"I'll go over." Daryl offered putting his crossbow over his shoulder, Merle shook his head looking between him and the gate.

"No offense brother, but I ain't sure your woman's tall enough to hoist you ass over that without droppin you on that hard head." Merle told him, Daryl looked between Carol and the ten eleven foot gate, Merle was right, they could probably lift him up high enough to grab the edge, but there was nothing to grip on with his feet above that. They could get Carol higher and practically throw her over she was so light with how scarce food was.

"It ain't happenin , we got no fuckin clue what's on the other side a that wall, could be a whole group in there, or a herd." Daryl snarled protectively, Merle held up his good hand, he didn't care how they got in, but they did need to get in.

"Don't give me that Daryl, you just said yourself that you'd go over, and now you're saying I can't? I'm in no more danger then you would have been in." Carol protested, Merle cringed turning back to the door hoping to find a way in and not have to be a part of what he knew would be an argument.

"It ain't like that, just don't need to be takin risks we ain't gotta." Daryl tried reaching out and taking her hands. She pulled her hands away giving him a look of disbelief.

"Your right we don't and if we had another way in, I'd be up for it, but we don't. I don't hear anything back there and we certainly can't go get the group without knowing what's back there. We have to get in there Daryl, it was your idea. Do you wanna go back and tell them this is a lost cause because you don't want to let me pull my weight?" She asked him, he clenched his jaw, how could she not get that sending her over that gate meant that he might lose her, and that thought made it hard to breath.

"That ain't the point darlin, we ain't goin back we're just gonna find a different way in is all." He offered reaching out to her again, she sighed taking his hands.

"Daryl you told me once that I wasn't a burden , I'm a different woman then I was in the quarry, and I love you, but don't try and put me in that position again. I can help, let me." Carol told him, he growled dropping her hands, she was comparing him to Ed.

"For fuck sake woman, I ain't him, and I sure as shit ain't tryin to leash ya. I just don't wanna see ya go over that gate and never come back, if you can't fuckin understand that I..." Daryl started, but Carol stormed into his space shoving his chest

"If I can't understand! How do you think I feel every time you go out there without me, when you and Sophia go out there alone?! How do you think I feel every time you volunteer for the most dangerous stuff that we do, but do I try to stop every time I'm scared I'll lose you? No, of course not because if I did we'd fight every time you went anywhere without me, and I refuse to have that be the last thing we did the one time you don't come back, because you're not like him. There's nothing more terrifying so tell me I don't know how it feels!" Carol was practically yelling, Daryl looked down at his feet, he'd never thought about how the things he did could scare her.

"I ain't never... I don't mean to..." He started, Carol let her hands slip down his chest and took his hands.

"I know that, I'm not saying you should stop helping, just that you can't expect me not to do the same." She told him, He nodded pulling her into his chest holding her close. He'd been putting her through hell and he hadn't even thought about it.

"Not that this ain't touchin and shit, but we ain't got all God damn day, are we doin this shit or what?" Merle asked shifting uncomfortably, he could hardly stand being around his own displays much less anyone else's.

"Shut up Merle." They said in unison, Daryl let Carol go so they could do this. Merle shook his head they were nauseatingly cute.

"Be safe." Daryl whispered kissing her briefly before they lifted her up onto their shoulders, she took a deep breath shouldering her bow. She grabbed the top of the gate taking a deep breath and gave the boys a nod. With one heft they threw her half way over the gate, she swung her leg over perching at the top.

"I don't see any walkers, or people." Carol whispered over to them, there were a ton of buildings over there though, more than enough places to hide, including a check in booth right next to the gate.

"Just open the gate, don't get no ideas about explorin the fuckin grounds." Daryl whispered chewing on his thumb nail nervously, Carol smiled shaking her head at him. She hopped down hanging on to the top of the gate for a moment before dropping to the ground. She un-slung her bow and turned towards the gate it had a regular large bolt lock, and a large plank of wood baring it too. She slid the bolt lock back and before she could grab the plank she heard the tell-tale click of a gun cocking.

"Don't touch that bitch!" A woman's voice called out from behind her, she knew there were people in that stupid check in booth. She turned around holding her hands up, the bow raising just over her head. There were only two of them, they couldn't be over twenty, probably younger. They both had a gun, but the voluptuous blond with the cleavage tattoo looked a lot more likely to pull the trigger, the boy was tall with dark hair, but he didn't have the hard edge to him like she did.

"I don't want any trouble, I didn't even know anyone was in here." Carol told them, Daryl could hear the voices through the gate, someone was in there with Carol.

"Carol!" Daryl called out, the girl's eyes shot to the gate.

"Who the fuck is out there!?" She yelled, Carol raised her hands an inch higher.

"I'm okay, just making two new friends." Carol called out to him, Daryl shared a look with Merle and they both took a step back and slammed into the gate. Carol could hear the wood on the plank crack under their combined weight.

"Hey tell them to fucking stop!" The woman screamed, Carol looked back at the door flashing the two people holding guns on her.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't even be in here, I'm so worthless, I'm sorry!" Carol sobbed, she'd spent more than enough time being afraid of people to know how to provoke a good smack from most anyone. Just like she knew would happen the loud girl stepped towards her to hit her with her gun.

Carol's sobs stopped almost instantly as she swept low with her bow knocking her feet out from under her and slamming her heel down on her wrist and pulling an arrow from her quiver, knocking it in one smooth motion aiming it at the boy.

"You move and I break your wrist and kill your boy!" Carol told her loud enough for the boys to hear her, they stopped trying to break down the door as soon as she said it.

"Open the gate!" Carol told the boy, he stuck his gun in his waist band and went over to the gate lifting up the plank with some difficulty since they had bowed it out with a thick crack. As soon as he stepped through the Gate Daryl punched the boy right in the face knocking him to the ground.

"You ever aim a gun at me and mine again you best prey I'm dead, cause I will end you boy!" Daryl snarled leaning down in his face, Carol stepped off the girl when Merle reached her. Merle grabbed the girl by the wrists pulling them behind her back and zip tying them while Carol went to Daryl.

"I told you I could handle it." She whispered, he wrapped his free arm around her waist the other one holding his crossbow on the man.

"Ya, ain't like you almost got shot or anythin, you're gonna be the death a me woman." Daryl told her as Merle grabbed the boy zip tying him to the woman. Once they were tied up he kissed her leaning his head against hers, she'd scared the hell out of her.

"I'm sorry." She breathed, Daryl let his eyes fall shut shaking his head slightly.

"I get it." He whispered back, Merle rolled his eyes.

"For Christ sake baby brother, as touching as this shit is we got hostages who ain't too thrilled to watch ya get all nauseating." Merle told them, the girl snorted obviously agreeing with him. Carol just laughed turning back to the gate and closing it back up while.

"How 'bout you stay here and play baby sitter while we have a look around, maybe find out who we're dealing with." Daryl told him, Merle popped the clip into the crook of his arm checking it.

"They're both fuckin empty, what were you plannin on doin, talkin us to death?" Merle asked crouching down in front of the two of them. He held the boys eyes, he'd spent his share of time with women like her, harmless mostly, but bitchy and stubborn as hell.

"We haven't even been outside the walls since the first time we saw one those buggers, Sarge locked half a dozen of us in here, only two of us stayed when they didn't come back." The boy said his voice rang with a bit of an Irish lilt. If it was true that meant this place was safe, from walkers and people.

"So you didn't put up the stakes?" Daryl asked, the girl tried to glare over her shoulder at him jostling his shoulder.

"Piss off Brit, they could a killed us, still could, I'd like to keep my skin girly. We didn't set up anythin outside these walls, it must a been Sarge." He told them, Merle nodded getting to his feet to talk to his family.

"If they're telling the truth that means this place is safe for every one." Carol whispered standing between the Dixon brothers.

"She's right, find out how they've kept themselves fed, we'll check out the rest of the complex." Daryl told Merle, Merle punched Daryl's shoulder lightly.

"I know ya ain't had no alone time alone with your woman for a while, but try and keep it short, we got shit to do." Merle joked, Daryl groaned socking him in the a bit harder than needed. He and Carol headed towards the rest of the sizable complex.

"Look at this place, it's huge, we could plant fields over there, and look that looks like a well pump. We could really make a go of things here." Carol told him, he smiled wrapping his arm around her waist and stealing a kiss. She'd never get over the way he made her feel.

Merle grabbed a chair from the check in booth and sat down in front of them with a Cheshire smile and a cocky glint in his eyes.

"Let's start with the basics, I know Brittany here, but what's your name cockney?" He asked referring to the undercurrent of his accent.

"Liam MacTier." He answered, Merle nodded, he was definitely Irish, he knew this place only took riffraff so that meant they both had a record of some sort.

"And what did you two jag offs do to get in here, don't look so shocked I know where I am boy?" Merle told them, Liam looked nervous, but no more them he should be telling the man who had you cuffed you were a criminal.

"I had a pension for get into places I shouldn't be." Liam told him, Merle done his share of breaking in places too.

"Bull shit Willy, You were a fucking con." Brittany spat jostling him roughly, Merle sneered, he'd spent some time with a con when he was dealing, the ass hole had always looked down on him.

"Ya and you were a brutish slag, but I didn't figure you'd like it said, but since ya painted me scarlet I guess ya don't deserve the consideration." Liam barked back, Merle just watched, he knew he'd get more honesty from a fight than any questioning he could do.

"For fuck sake it's like you ain't even speakin english!" She

"You manky slag you're not the full shilling are ya, we can't leg it from this langer if ya don't go with the guff?" he yelled back at her, Merle ran his hand over his head, he hadn't understood a word of that it wouldn't help him to listen if he couldn't understand.

"Fuck you, I know what I'm doing." She snarled back, Merle crouched down tapping the blade on his prosthetic against Liam's cheek.

"As much as I'm sure you believe it, I ain't stupid boy, you keep lying to me and this ain't ever gonna work. Me and mine we ain't got no plans to hurt you, hell I bet officer friendly 'll wanna let you stay and play house, but if you cross me you shit stain I will end you without a second thought to keep them safe you hear me." Merle growled in a low deadly tone.

"Ya know how I lost this hand, I cut it off myself with a rusty hack saw to get back to my brother, now you tell me if you're gonna help us, or if you pose a threat to my family." Merle's threat rumbled in their ears like the voice of death Merle knew exactly how to put the fear of God into a man.

"Wow now Hardchaw we don't want any problems." Liam told him, Merle smirked getting back to his feet.

"Good, now tell me everything about this fuckin place." Merle told them, they would be there for hours before they'd checked out the whole complex, hopefully he'd be done questioning them by then.

Kiry was a little over zealous with the clearing of the bar, but she was so mad that she couldn't be more help, and she'd be damned if she didn't pull her weight with what she could do. They were digging through the bar now that it was locked up, Kiry went up the stairs to the apartment above it.

They'd only found half a dozen walkers in the whole place, and only one was locked up here. It was a nice little two bedroom apartment, the man had hung himself up here so at least it was mostly clean. She searched the kitchen first, some of the food was still good, but she didn't even bother opening the fridge, she didn't want to throw up again.

She went to the bigger of the two bedrooms, there were clothes for a man and a woman, which left her to wonder what had happened to the woman. She found a photo album on the dresser, so she took it flopping down on the bed with box of Twinkies.

She marveled at the power of preservatives in food that contained almost no food while she flipped through the photo album. They had been a cute couple, they'd had a baby boy, she would never have a picture of her baby, no sonogram to put it a photo album.

"Kiry?" Sophia's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"I'm in here." Kiry called back, Sophia came in and flopped down on the bed next to her stealing a Twinkie.

"Mm, these are good. What ya lookin at?" She asked, Kiry dropped the side of the photo album so she could see.

"They had a baby." Kiry told her, Sophia looked at it for a minute then up at Kiry who didn't exactly look happy.

"You look sad." Sophia told her nudging her with her shoulder, Kiry put her arm around Sophia's shoulder with a sigh.

"I'm just worried, after what happened with Lori, and even if we both make it how am I supposed to raise a kid?" Kiry whispered, Sophia pulled the picture of the little baby out of the album looking at it more closely.

"Well I guess I don't have much experience in the whole mom concept, but I know you make a great aunt, and Merle's getting better at this whole uncle thing, plus we'll all help. I'll be there best cousin ever too, we'll make sure nothing bad happens to you or the baby, 'Cause you're gonna be the second best mom in the world. Second of course only to Mom, 'cause she's the best." Sophia told her, Kiry chuckled tousling her hair, Sophia swatted her hand away.

"Thanks kid." Kiry said stuffing another twinkie in her mouth, it was the first thing she'd enjoyed eating since she got morning sickness.

"Ya, I'm wise beyond my years, now don't mope, go check the other room for baby things we'll need." Sophia told her snatching another twinkie and heading towards the stairs. She figured she could check on little Judith, that kid needed all the family she could get. Rick tried, but she could tell he thought she was Shane's kid, maybe he was right, she'd heard what people said about Lori and him, but she knew they all loved her.

Carol made it about half way down the steps and caught sight of a framed picture on the wall, it was of the woman from the album and a younger girl who looked a lot like the girl from Woodbury. She sat back on the steps pulling the necklace out of her pocket.

Whoever had given it to her must have loved her very much, Sophia put it on pulling her hair to the side so she could clasp it. She'd never forget that girl, like Kiry had said when you make a mistake you learn from it, or something like that. She'd wear that girl's necklace as a reminder not to become a monster just because it was easy.


	25. Chapter 25

**Review please!**

Daryl pointed his cross bow through the door that Carol had just opened, it was the last barracks to check, the place was pretty much clean. Carol tapped her bow loudly on the floor to see if anything reacted to the noise.

"They weren't lying, this place is clean." Carol told him, he nodded looking down the isles made by the bunk beds.

"Looks like." He said walking down the center of the isles watching his feet while Carol checked the beds, she smiled running her hand over the mostly clean soft beds.

"Look at all the real beds." Carol said in awe as they finished the sweep, she ran her hands over the bed to be sure it was empty before she flopped down onto the soft mattress.

"It'll be nice havein a place again." He agreed leaning over her put his hands on the bed leaving his face only inches from hers. A low growl rumbled from his chest as he nuzzled into the nape of her neck, her short raven hair salted white blond was getting longer and it tickled his cheek.

"Mm, nice to have a minute alone." Carol added, Daryl smiled taking in her heady scent, he wanted to taste her, he ran his tongue along her law down to her collar-bone and nipped at the sensitive crook in her neck.

"Mm very nice." He whispered moving one hand to the small of her back as she wrapped herself around him, pulling his head back by the hair so she could kiss him. He had the same savory taste laced with the salty undercurrent of his efforts to keep them safe.

She pulled him down onto the bed flicking her tongue over her bottom lip before nipping it lightly. He growled running his hand down between the two of them letting it dip beneath the top of her jeans. His other hand snuck up the back of her shirt.

She moaned into his mouth as his fingers found her sensitive nub, he was scraping against his zipper painfully as soon as he felt how wet she was for him. He dipped two callous fingers into her while his thumb soothed muffled cries of ecstasy from her lips.

She tore his shirt over his head impatiently nipping along his jaw down his neck until he pushed her over the edge. She bit down hard on his shoulder to keep her self quiet, the slick coppery taste of blood followed. Daryl groaned, he loved when she did that, it let him know how well he was doing and he enjoyed her playing a little rough.

He yanked his hand away tearing her jeans off clumsily so he could feel her, he leaned back with a growl licking his wet fingers hungrily before she freed him from his jeans. She moaned at the sight of him reveling in her taste, his primal need for her, and it escalated to whimper of pleasure as he pushed inside her.

Neither of them would ever get used to how perfectly they fit together, how big he was and how tightly she wrapped around him. Even after all this time he had to stop to let himself pull it together, when he finally did start to move it was slow and languid.

He never stopped kissing her though, he would never get enough of her. He could feel her quivering around him moving closer to the edge, he grabbed her hip pulling her up into him so her every nerve ground against his pelvis.

She whimpered his name as he pushed her over the edge, she clung to him and he could feel her nails digging into his back. He growled thrusting faster and harder, she cried out his name as he kept her from coming down from the edge until he collapsed into her growling her name and kissing her neck his free hand still on her breast.

"Oh God I missed this." Carol moaned holding him close, while he lay spent on her chest, he smirked nipping at her collar-bone loving the way it made her quiver around him. He sighed rolling out of her and pulling her onto his chest, they really needed to get back to Merle and the new kids, but he just couldn't bring himself to break the moment.

"We could have our own place here, there are lots a cabins for the officers. I can hardly remember privacy." Daryl joked feeling satisfied, his lids were drooping shut, but he was doing his best to stay awake.

"And did you see the showers, they're the old pump showers which means they'll actually work." Carol mumbled letting her eyes drift closed.

"Come on now darlin' we gotta get back, Merle's already gonna have a field day." Daryl told her reluctantly, she sighed rolling over to get up. As soon as her feet touched the floor something grabbed at her ankle, she yelped pulling herself back onto the bed.

Daryl pulled out his knife kneeling in front of her to kill whatever threatened her, and then a little blond head stuck it's self over the edge of the bed.

"Meow!" The tiny cat batted at the knife with huge green eyes, Daryl broke out into a hearty laugh, Carol blushed, she was embarrassed, but it was nice to see him really laugh.

"Hi little guy, how'd you get in here?" Carol asked scooping it up and checking that it really was a male. He mewled wrapping his back paws around her arms.

"You're so cute, I'm gonna call you Roy." Carol told the cat with a satisfied nod, it seemed to mirror her nod.

"It probably belongs to one a them two." Daryl poked a hole in her fun reluctantly, she sighed setting Roy on the bed so she could get dressed.

"Well then I'll just have to ask." She told him as she pulled the shirt over her head, he chuckled getting up and dressed himself. Carol happily carried Roy back with them, she looked so happy taking care of the little kitten, he could only imagine how happy she'd looked when she had taken care of Sophia, a tiny part of him wished he could give her that again.

"What the fuck is that, dinner?" Merle asked when he saw Roy squirming in Carols arms until she released it and he climbed up onto her shoulders laying under her slung bow to drape around her neck.

"No, it's a cat Merle, and if you hurt it I'll... I'll tell Kiry." She told him petting Roy, Merle turned a shade of red Daryl had never seen trying to laugh off the huge embarrassment.

"Low blow mamma bear." Merle grumbled while Carol brought the cat closer to Liam and Brittany to see if it was there's.

"Is this little guy either of yours?" Carol asked crouched in front of them, Brittany visibly cringed, and Liam shrugged.

"Get that flea bag away from me I'm allergic to fucking cats." Brittany snarled struggling to move further away.

"So he's not either of yours?" She asked, Liam smiled despite how Brittany was yanking at the zip ties that were obviously digging into his arms.

"Your bang on there, you're welcome to 'em if ya fancy it, the Boyo looks to be a fine thing." Liam told her, she smiled to herself getting back to her feet, Daryl couldn't help but smile too.

"Now that we got that out a the way, ya took your good sweet time. Could a at least waited 'till the whole group was here before ya went off for a good fuck." Merle teased, Daryl's smile dropped off his face as he turned looking smug at Merle.

"Says the man getting road head with me and my girls in the back a the damn car." Daryl told him, Merle glared, but had to switch his focus to Carol.

"You did what?!" Carol asked her voice raising an octave, Merle put his good hand up defensively.

"Ya were all asleep, ain't like ya had to see nothin, and it sure as shit wasn't my plan." Merle told her, she shook her head irritably and the cat hissed from her shoulder.

"That is no excuse, if 'Phia had... Ugh! You are a sick man Dixon!" She snarled at him swatting him in the back of the head. Daryl smirked, and Merle swatted at him, which earned him another smack from Carol.

"Stop it, someone needs to go back and get the rest of the group." Carol told them, Merle sighed looking between the two of them.

"Fine, but if I get back and y'all are fuckin again..." Merle started until Carol and Daryl both smacked him at once. He chuckled to himself opening the gate, they all sobered as he looked back to them before pulling it open. There ruckus had brought in a couple of walkers, but nothing like it had at the prison, so they put them down quick.

"Be careful." Daryl said quietly, Merle smirked smacking Daryl on the shoulder.

"Always am brother." Merle told him heading towards the bar, he'd have to walk his ass all the way back since he couldn't drive his own damn bike anymore. It was gonna be a long fucking day.

Rick's eyes flicked to the rear view where Carl was contentedly reading his comics, he was glad Carl had Sophia, he didn't think Carl could have held it together without her. His eyes flicked to Michonne next, hell he didn't think he would be pulling himself back together if it weren't for her.

He knew Daryl and his family had taken a lot of the weight off him to lead, but she seemed to really understand what he was going through. She was fidgeting with her eye patch absently a small frown creasing her brow. It was kind of cute, she so rarely smiled, but when she did smile she was beautiful.

He shook his head slightly refocusing on the road, they had only found one road on the map that had led back towards blackburn. They were getting close now and he couldn't afford to be day dreaming, they were coming up on a building.

"Dan's Liqueur and guns, sounds like a bad combo. Might have something we can use though." Rick offered drawing the attention of Carl and Michonne. Michonne nodded ever the stoic one and Carl leaned up from the back seat to see better as they pulled over.

"Looks like it's been pretty untouched." Carl said happily, they filed out cautiously, Michonne took out the walker greedily munching on some kind of dead animal. Rick took Michonne's bad side and they went in together while Carl kept watch at the door.

The booze was gone, and the guns had been taken from the front, but as Rick made his way towards the back he saw a huge second counter, with cross bows and compound bows all hung around it, that must be where they kept the ammo.

He went over to the counter looking to see if he was right,he smiled when he saw the untouched boxes of ammunition. He turned to tell Michone and saw a walker coming up on her bad side, He moved to take it down, but when it groaned she spun around taking the things head off.

"You good?" He asked when he saw her shaking slightly, she just nodded hurrying to hop over the counter. There were two huge shipping boxes marked arrows, so they got to work loading the truck up with the crossbows, bows arrows, and ammo as fast as they could. They took the ammo first, they could always make more arrows, they also found a number of extras for the gear, and some extra bow-string. Daryl would have to sort it out when they got back.

"Hey, you did good." Rick told Michonne as they went in for the last load, she shook her head letting her hand go to her eye.

"I've never been so vulnerable." She whispered, he touched her shoulder lightly not knowing if he should comfort her.

"Even with one eye you're still one of the strongest people I've ever met." Rick told her, she chuckled scooping up her box. They hadn't left much behind, but they'd come back if they stayed.

"You're a bad liar." She told him, he stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm turning her so she would look at him.

"It's not a lie." He told her earnestly, she sighed offering him a curt nod and heading back towards the car. He sighed too picking up his own box, it was so hard to know if he was reaching her. He just hoped his quite comradeship was as helpful to her as it had been for him.

The store was the only good thing they found though, the road on this side had the same spikes blocking into the woods. Rick sighed looking over at Michonne wishing he could say something to make her smile.

Carl watched them rolling his eyes, grown ups were so strange, if you liked someone why wouldn't you just tell them. He knew it would make them both happy, but what could he do. They were always saying relationships were complicated, but so far it was just amazing.

Not that he and Sophia were dating, they had kissed, but they hadn't talked about what they actually were. He wasn't too worried about it though, it wasn't like there were a lot of other people running around out there. He really liked Sophia, but sometimes he worried that she only liked him because he was the only boy around even close to her age.

Sophia was on watch when Rick pulled up with the truck, Carl jumped out holding the crossbow he'd picked out happily. It was black with a green bone collector logo on the side, he liked the way it felt, like firing a rifle. He would finally have a silent ranged weapon with renewable ammo.

Sophia looked the crossbow over before she came over, he looked good with it, it made him look more rugged and less like a sheriff even if he did still have his dad's badge pinned to his jacket. She waved to Rick and Michonne and went to Carl.

"What ya got there Grimmes?" She asked, he smirked holding it out to her wishing he could kiss her, but he knew his dad would get mad. He was almost fifteen now, you'd think he'd be allowed to do that kind of stuff.

"We found a crap load of bows and crossbows, more ammo too, no guns though, and the road's blocked over there too." Carl told her, she ran her hand over the crossbow lovingly before she handed it back to him.

"Looks good on you Grimmes, might be hope for you yet." She told him going around to help unload, they would arm everyone with the crossbows since most of them didn't have the skill for a bow. They laid them out on the floor so everyone could take their pick.

Kiry even grabbed one, but what really grabbed her eye was a small hand bow, she thought they could hook it to Merle's prosthetic and he could fire it with his good hand. It would be nice for Merle to have a silent ranged weapon, as much as he enjoyed the up close kill it worried her that he had to get so close to them to kill them.

"I need to get back on watch." Sophia grumbled getting up and heading back to the porch, Carl waited a minute before he followed her enjoying the new weight of the crossbow and quiver over his shoulder.

"Hey. Ya need some company?" He asked, Sophia looked over from where she had been staring into space dropping the necklace she'd been worrying between her fingers.

"Ya, always got room for a boy with a crossbow." She joked, he chuckled shifting the crossbow strap over his shoulder and he suddenly understood why Daryl was always fussing with the thing.

"Where'd you get that?" He asked pointing at the necklace she was once again playing with, she looked own at it dropping it.

"I took it from that girl, the one I killed." Sophia told him, he furrowed his brow trying to remember when she'd ever killed someone.

"In woodbury?" He asked closing the distance between them trying to decide if he could hold her hand.

"Ya." She said answering his unasked question by leaning onto his shoulder and taking his hand. He wished he knew what to say to make her smile again, but he didn't get why killing that girl would bother her, she would have killed them. Instead he just kissed the top of her head standing in silence with her.

"You could kiss me again if you wanted." Sophia whispered, he smiled doing just that, they were still pretty awkward, but they were figuring this stuff out. They didn't stop at just one kiss and he might have kissed her forever if he hadn't been yanked away by a strong hand.

"Keep your lips off my niece jr. officer, brother'd kill ya if he saw that shit, and you, ya ain't keepin watch if ya can't see past this ones big head." Merle told them, Sophia smiled hugging him. He smirked patting her back with his good hand.

"Where are Mom and Dad?" She asked ignoring his chastising, he nodded back down the road he'd just walked up.

"Blackburn, it was clear, had two damn kids livin in it that we gotta figure out what to do with, but other than that the place is a fuckin God send." Merle told her, she smiled it had been so long since they'd had a place to feel safe, the prison had never really made her feel safe, more like being in a cage surrounded by enemies.

"Move it Jr." Merle said shewing him into the bar, Sophia laughed shaking her head as they went inside. The first thing Merle saw was the half a dozen cross bows floating around the room, everyone had one, then he saw Kiry studying what looked like a hand crossbow.

He went straight to her scooping her up, she shrieked looking down at the ass she now had in line of sight. She knew it was Merle, but it took a second to figure out what was going on. He set her down when they were out of line of sight.

"Merle?" She asked, but he cut her off with a breathtaking kiss, she reached up wrapping her arms around his neck holding him to her until her need for air overwhelmed the need to taste him.

"Missed ya woman." He smirked, she smiled like a love struck school girl leaning into him.

"Did you guys make it to Blackburn?" She asked as he wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling into her soft auburn hair.

"Ya, I suppose I should talk to the group hu?" He sighed, she chuckled sneaking out of his arms reluctantly, and lead him back into the main room by his good hand.

"Nice of you to join us." Rick commented when they rejoined the group, Merle flicked him off leaning over the bar and grabbed a bottle of jack with a smile.

"Ya, ya... Found Blackburn, it's exactly what we're lookin for, two kids there already gotta figure what we're doin with 'em, but that's the only snag." Merle told them taking a long slow draft aff his jack savoring the burn. God he'd missed this, it took the hard edge off his world.

"Well the road's blocked off from every direction, so we'll have to walk, one of us can take the bike and we'll start moving our supplies in." Rick told them, they all nodded happy to hear that they'd have a safe place again, because they couldn't wander any more.

"Should hide the cars, leave stocked enough for a fast get away, never hurts to be safe." Glen put in, Rick nodded. He had a hard time preparing for the worst when he was constantly hoping for the best. It didn't take long to get loaded up and on the road.

They fell into an easy formation when they walked with Hershel and Beth at the center as there weakest members, Carl was happy to test out his new crossbow. He was a damn good shot with it, but Sophia was still a better shot.

Merle knocked once on the gate with his prosthetic, and soon after the gate swung open, Carol greeted them on the other side, getting hugs from Kiry and Sophia,and even Beth.

"So is this place really safe?" Maggie asked while Merle closed the gate, Carol's smile grew wider then ever.

"Ya, it's been locked up since this started, they have everything here, even guns, but no real ammo, I guess they didn't trust these kids with any ammo." Carol told them.

"Ya gonna introduce us, or should I just feck off?" Liam asked getting a jostle from Brittany since she was the one Daryl had his crossbow lazily trained on.

"Right this is Laim MacTier, and Brittany, they were here when we got here. They wouldn't be tied up if they hadn't threatened us with guns, which turned out to be empty, I think they're pretty harmless, but it's up to the group, and whether or not they'll play nice." Carol said, Liam smirked trying to look innocent.

"I'm no chancer, not so dense to think I could cross you shower a savages." He told them, Carol frowned, he seemed pretty sure they didn't understand that he was being rude.

"Ya well we've been crossed by cowards before too." She told him, he cringed. They would figure it out, first they needed to get settled in.


	26. Chapter 26

**Don't hate me for this chapter, I promise I'll make it up to you. Please review!**

They moved further in so they could talk without being over heard, leaving Beth to watch over the new people.

"Do we really think we can trust them?" Glen asked, looking back at them, Carl liked the idea of having some more people around his age.

"Well they did live here first, we can't just kill them because we don't know them and they have something we want." Kiry said look between the group, some of them nodded or hung there heads, Merle just scoffed, but stayed quiet, which she'd expected.

"She's right this was their home, we'll release them, and have the kids watch them and we'll all keep an eye on them, if they're gonna make trouble they'll do it with the kids. They'll never expect them to be so capable, I'd send you with, but I hear you already tipped your hand." Rick chuckled, Carol blushed pushing closer to Daryl, who gladly held her there.

"It's a good plan, but I ain't too keen on puttin 'Phia in danger." Daryl told him, Sophia rolled her eyes knowing that saying anything would just make the grown ups gang up on her.

"I don't like putting Carl in danger either, but it's our best chance to see their true colors, they don't have any weapons, and we'll keep eyes on them." Rick told him, Daryl huffed his mind warring over whether he wanted to keep holding Carol or cross his arms.

"I was okay with that part." Daryl mumbled, carol had to bite back a laugh, it was cute seeing him be over protective with Sophia. Merle thought it was a stupid plan, the firecracker shouldn't get stuck with the shit job. She could... fuck it up or something, ya that was a good reason, he was not worried about her.

"And what if they're fuckin right, and they can take 'em, not to mention they ain't gonna make a move inside these fuckin walls, they'd never get anywhere." Merle poked holes in their plan, and at this Sophia scoffed.

"Fuck you Merle, I could take those two blindfolded!" Sophia barked, cringing when Carol shot her a glare and Kiry smacked her in the back of the head. She hadn't meant to swear, but it was true, she just wished people had faith in her.

"She's right, Merle don't be a dick, but just so the dimmer Dixon feels better I'll go with them and we'll take them for some more of the supplies." Kiry told them since she was the most capable, while still looking vulnerable.

"What are you gonna do toss your guts on their shoes?" Merle asked since now he was offended and worried, Kiry punched him in the chest.

"Fuck you Merle, unless they're gonna be fryin up a fuckin stake I'll be just fine." Kiry told him, Carol sighed, it was a miracle Sophia even knew how to express herself without swearing.

"Wow, no need to fight, we trust you Kiry, let's go let them up." Rick told her heading for the two of them, Sophia stopped in front of Merle.

"We'll keep her safe uncle Merle, you should really trust us, and a... Sorry I sweared at you." Sophia said looking over at her mom who nodded her approval. Merle chuckled ruffling her hair, which had Sophia swatting his hand away.

"We would like to let you stay here, you were here first and it's your home, and we can always use more hand, but first I have three questions, and I'll set down the rules. If you want to leave we'll give you food, and weapons and set you on your way, but if you betray our trust, if even one of my people bleeds for your actions I'll kill you. It wouldn't be the first time I've had to." Rick told them, Brittany rolled her eyes, Rick could see she thought this was bluster, he'd have to be sure to drive it home for her.

"Crack on man, we're no chancers, we just wanna play nice. I haven't talked to any one but this eejit in a donkey's year." Liam told him, Rick nodded going over to Brittany.

"How many walkers have you killed?" Rick asked crouching down in front of her, she met his eyes giving him a look that said she clearly had no idea what he was saying.

"The fuck's a walker?" She asked, rick pointed to the gate.

"One a those dead things, how many have you killed?" Rick asked again, she sighed looking the group over.

"None, only the people who left this hell hole had to kill them." She answered reluctantly, he nodded wishing they all could have been so lucky.

"How many people have you killed?" He asked, she visibly cringed her eyes shooting over to what he thought was the mess hall.

"Just one." She whispered not meeting his eyes this time, at least she seemed to feel guilty about it, that was something.

"Why?" He asked plainly, she shied away from him as if he'd struck her, then took a deep breath meeting his eyes head up high.

"Because no matter what this fuck satin says, I ain't a whore, and no one touches me unless I let 'em." She told him he nodded getting to his feet and going over to Liam, he could understand her reasons, as far as he was concerned she could stay.

"How many walkers have you killed?" He asked crouching in front of Liam, his expression of confidence had been replaced with one of introspection.

"Um, just... just one." He said shaking off whatever memory had clouded his eyes, Rick frowned watching his mask of confidence fall back into place.

"How many people have you killed?" Rick asked next just like before, Liam smiled but Rick could tell it didn't reach his eyes.

"None, never had to resort to that." Liam told him, Rick nodded thinking for a moment before he asked his final question.

"Who was the walker?" He asked since his other question had no purpose now, Liam closed his eyes against the pain of a memory, but his expression held.

"My twin sister Caoilainn." He answered in a flat tone, Rick nodded getting back to his feet, they had all seen something tragic, so much so that Liam's story didn't even shock him.

"We're gonna let ya up now, and you can help bring in the last of our supplies, we all pull are weight here, Kiry will tell you the rules on the walk." Rick told them pulling out his knife to cut them lose.

"Oh thank Jesus." Liam said getting up and rubbing his shoulder before Rick had even had a chance to move. They all looked a little shocked for a moment.

"Um, maybe next time wait until you're let out kid." Glen told him slapping the kid on the shoulder, he at least had the good sense to look sheepish while Rick cut Brittany lose.

"So who's this Kiry chick?" Brittany asked getting up and rubbing her wrists, Kiry grabbed Merle's hand giving it a quick squeeze before she went forward. Merle growled quietly, he fucking hated this plan.

"That would be me, let's get this done." Kiry said pulling two of the knives she'd picked up on the way out of her bag and holding them out to them. Brittany took the bigger one, and Sophia and Carl went to the gate. Carol and Daryl closed the gate behind them offering Sophia and Kiry a nod. She didn't like this plan, but those kid didn't look too bad, and she knew any one of them could take them.

"Might as well get this out a the way, like Rick said we all pull are weight, you don't help out you don't eat, we all need to be able to protect ourselves. No one leaves without telling someone where they're headed, we always have some one on watch. If you're on watch you best stay vigilant, when we're out here, you stay in close, you aim for the head, and you stay quiet. No guns if you have any choice, don't put anyone at risk don't waste anything and never leave a door unlocked." Kiry told them, there were no walkers at the gate so they were making good time.

"So what's your name doll?" Liam asked after a few minutes at least having the good sense to say it quietly. Sophia looked over at him sceptically, he was cute, tall with scruffy dark brown hair that had a bit a red in it, and bright green eyes. He was still a bit gangly, but she could tell he would be wiry once he filled out a little bit.

"Sophia." She answered, a cocky smirk spread across his face, it was an endearing crooked smile, but he seemed like the kind of guy who was sweet on everyone, so she would try and take the things he said with a grain of salt.

"Sophia? Beautiful, and wise good combination doll, I'm Liam MacTier." He told her offering her his hand, she took it with a shy smile, she really wasn't very good at this whole meeting new people thing. She decided to just stay quiet.

"I'm Carl." Carl offered his hand to Brittany, she looked him over for a second then laughed.

"Ya keep it in your pants cowboy." She said with a smile and a wink, Carl blushed, sure she was cute, blond hair blue eyes big boobs, but mostly he just didn't like the way Sophia looked at Liam.

"I just, I didn't get your name." He said trying not to look up from his crossbow, she watched him for a second before answering.

"Brittany Shaffer, you can call me Britta if ya ain't to shy." She told him, he smiled going back to what he was supposed to be doing. They walked in relative silence after that, Liam seemed to get how to take down a walker, but Carl had to shoot one over Britta's shoulder when she missed its head. They killed all the walkers on the way to the cars.

"So what kind a shit are we grabbin?" Britta asked, Liam beat Sophia to the tail gate opening it for her. Carl Glared at him, he would have to talk to Sophia when they got back, he stupid not to talk to her sooner, ugh being a teenager was hard.

"We'll leave some of the food that'll keep better here, one ranged weapon, and a knife. The rest of it goes" Kiry told them, Britta rolled her eyes opening the cab and stuffing some of the things into the bag Kiry had given each of them.

"So where do you guys sleep, 'cause Dad'll probably want to organize every thing?" Carl asked zipping his bag back up.

"We pretty much caught kip wherever we fell down." Liam told them, pulling a compound bow out and shouldering it, Kiry made sure he didn't get any arrows with it, she didn't think he could shoot, but why tempt fate.

Merle found himself a ladder and too watch sitting on the wall while Rick and the rest of the group went through the place to see how they were going to set it up, and to scrounge up whatever they could find. The cafeteria was pretty well stocked yet, everything was in bulk, but there was enough to feed them for months.

"We finally hit a bit a good luck." Rick said more to himself then anything, Beth smiled holding Judith in one arm while she rifled through the cabinets with the other.

"There's a lot of powdered milk in here too." Beth told him, a real smile gracing her features for the first time in a long time. She knew she wasn't very good at surviving, but she did help, she kept people fed with Carol, and took care of Judith, and help with the medical stuff, but she was glad they had a safe place, someplace where her helping out was useful and not just a burden.

"The soil's good we can plant fields in the back by that track." Hershel added, Rick looked over at Michone who was looking out the dirty window. He went over towards her nudging her with his shoulder lightly. She looked over at him with a weak smile.

"Looks safe enough, as long as the governor doesn't follow us here." Michone said, her hand going to her eye absently, Rick reached over stopping her hand.

"We'll never have to see that sicko again." Rick told her, she knew he was trying to reassure her, but she wanted to see him again, she wanted to see the life leave his one good eye.

"We can hope." She mumbled, she didn't think Rick would like what she really had to say, and she hadn't missed how his hand lingered on hers.

"Come on, let's figure out the housing, before Carl can come back and bicker about it." Rick told her, they went through the buildings, there were lots of buildings with the potential to be homes, the only kitchen was in the cafeteria, and the only bathrooms were a restroom that had a manual pump, but it would work perfectly.

He ended up giving all five kids one of the larger bunk houses, Merle and Kiry the one furthest from everything, because they were not as quiet as they thought they were, Daryl and Carol got the one by the kids, Maggie and Glen got the one opposite the clinic, Rick and Michone decided together that would split the one by the gate since there were more than enough beds, and Hershel got the one closest to the kitchen, that was attached to the little clinic.

Maggie, and Beth started happily putting together a proper meal, while the others moved there supplies into there new houses, it was nice to see everyone looking happy. Rick started going through the seeds for planting until he heard Merle leap down off the wall. He hurried to the gate throwing it open, Kiry and the kids came through with the supplies while Kiry walked his bike in. Carol came over to greet them with Roy perched on her shoulder.

"Um, Mom what's on your shoulder?" Sophia asked dropping her bag while Merle shut the gate, Carol scratched behind little Roy's ears pulling him off her shoulder.

"This is Roy, we found him here." Carol told her letting Sophia take him, he purred curling up in her arms while she pet him.

"Are we keepin him?" She asked, Carol smiled, it was nice to see Sophia enjoy something as innocent as having her first pet.

"Of coarse we are sweety, do you two have a place that you usually sleep?" Carol asked the two new kids, they shook their heads.

"Well you're all in the big bunk house, and I ain't fuckin kidding you best not start any shit just 'cause ya ain't got any a us stayin in there." Daryl directed mostly at Carl, who held his hands up placatingly towards him.

"Come on, I'll show ya how we set it up." Beth said with a sweet smile, they all moved to follow her, but as soon as they were out of sight of Daryl Carl took a hold of Sophia's hand pulling her into what must have been a supply building.

"Hey, can we talk?" Carl asked, she looked a little shocked, giving the room they were in a once over to be sure they were safe.

"Ya, what's up Grimmes?" She asked giving his hand a squeeze, he looked down at there joined hands with a smile.

"I just, the way that guy was lookin at ya today... He was hitting on you." Carl mumbled rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb nervously.

"Ya, so... Did you see him, he probably hits on everything with tits?" She asked, with a chuckle, Carl nodded dropping her hand so he could take his hat off and sooth his hair back.

"Ya I just... I mean we never really said... we're not technically dating and I just..." He started, but before he could ask what she wanted, what they were, Sophia cut him off.

"Wait, we're not technically dating, what the hell do you think we've been doin? And you just what, you just wanna make sure you ain't gonna get slapped for checkin out Bichny's tits, ya I fuckin saw you. Fuck you Grimmes!" Sophia growled, Carl held his hands up hoping she wouldn't hit him, and that she'd actually listen, that hadn't been what he meant.

"No, that ain't... I didn't mean it like that?" Carl told her, she calmed a little looking him over with an angry glint in his eyes.

"What did ya mean it like?" She asked folding her arms under her chest, Carl sighed adjusting his hat again.

"I just wanted to know what this is?" He whispered, she glared daggers at him.

"Why? Why is it all of a sudden this needs a name, you didn't care before, you just wanted to be with me, no matter what this is? Now Betty big tits shows up and suddenly this needs a name!" Sophia seethed, she didn't get men at all.

"No, I just, the way he looked at you, and I don't know I just thought we should talk, so we both knew." He tried, Sophia shook her head dropping her arms.

"He ain't my type, but I guess you can't trust me, just... I can't even... just leave me be." Sophia told him backing out of the room, he grabbed her arm, but she slapped his hand away, he hadn't meant to hurt her, he just wanted to know that she wanted to be with him as much as he wanted to be with her.

She couldn't believe he didn't trust her, she didn't want to be with some weird Irish guy, sure he was cute, but he wasn't Carl, wasn't her best friend. She knew he cared about her, and she kind of got why he would get jealous, but she needed a some time, she was so mad at him and she didn't trust herself not to say something she'd regret.

"So what's your name Doll?" Liam asked Beth as he opened the door to the bunk house for her, she smiled brushing bast him.

"Beth Greene, I hear you're makin waves." She said leading them in, they'd moved some of the beds out, and she'd found clothes racks in the storage room when Rick had taken Judith and Maggie had told her she could handle the stew that was simmering still. She'd used them to hang up sheets leaving them with makeshift rooms.

"Me, I'd never give guff to a fine thing like yourself. Not with that holy joe wavin his cannon about, naw I'm a right fine fella." He told her with his charming crooked smile, Beth bit her bottom lip trying not to grin like an idiot. Brittany just rolled her eyes.

"Which one a these fuckin things am I sleepin in?" She asked trying to ignore Liam while he kissed ass to these people who just fucking took everything they had and said, 'Sure we robbed ya blind took your home, but we'll share, 'cause we're good guys.'

"I'm in that one, other than that y'all can take your pick, we got stew on so dinner'll be ready soon. Don't know if y'all got anything ya wanna bring in here, but ya get it now if ya do, we'll pick through anything ya don't." Beth told them offering Liam another smile before she left to check on Judith. Liam followed her not caring where he slept.

"So that little chisler, it yours?" He asked, she slowed to walk with him giving him a look of confusion.

"The what?" She asked, he chuckled running his hand through his hair.

"That lil' bit of a thing, the baby, is it yours?" He asked, her smile dropped away at the memory of Lori, and then of Sasha asking her the same thing.

"No, she's Rick's baby, her momma didn't make it, I just look out for her, me and Carol mostly." Beth told him, he nodded trying to figure out which one could be Carol.

"That the bit of a pixie thing, with that hardchaw throwin his cross-bow around?" He asked, she chuckled at his description of them, it was pretty spot on.

"Ya, that's her, she and Daryl have been together for a long time now, Merle's his brother, he's with Kiry, if I were you I would keep the flirting to a minimum with her, if anyone in this group would really kill ya for crossin 'em it'd be him. He's a hell of a guy as long as you're nice to his family, well maybe a bit rude, but really who ain't these days.

"Rick, well he's been dancin around Michone, the a, the colored girl, she's a bit distant, but she's family, they all are. Maggie, she's my sister, she's with Glen, I'm sure ya can guess which one he is, they're married. Hershel, he's my Daddy, he does all the doctorin around here." Beth explained, she figured he should know all their names.

"Quite the rag-tag band ya got doll, did I hear right, that ya don't got a fella?" He asked cocking his head with a charming little lift of his scarred eyebrow.

"You heard right." She told him biting her lip with a coy little smile, he smirked looking her up and down.

"Just say if I'm makin an arse of myself, but you're a fine thing and it's worth it..." Liam told her trailing off so she could answer.

"I wouldn't say that, but you might wanna down shift for a bit big guy, I just met ya. Let's go get some food, I'll introduce ya to everyone in person." She told him, he smirked and followed her happily, it'd be nice having new faces.

Carl went to the bunk house, Sophia wasn't there, so he just picked a bed and tossed his stuff down and puling his boots and socks off. He'd spent way too long in the same pair, his feet were rank, so he pulled out a wet nap and rubbed them down before he laid back in his new bed.

"Hey cowboy." Brittany called pushing through the sheet that made up his makeshift room, he smiled weakly sitting up so she could sit next to him.

"Hey Britta, what's up?" He asked, he felt like shit, but that was no reason to be rude, she seemed nice, and apparently he was single now.

"Just thought I'd come talk, you're the only one here that ain't been shit to me, so..." She trailed off nudging him with her shoulder, he shook his head.

"They're not so bad, we've just met some people we couldn't trust, don't know if we can trust you two yet." He told her, she nodded clasping her hands between her knees.

"Think how we feel... How old are ya anyway?" She asked changing the subject, he looked down at his bare feet trying to figure out what month it was.

"Can hardly tell anymore, almost fifteen I think, maybe am already, I don't know what month it is." He told her, she laughed looking down at his feet with him.

"I think I should be seventeen soon, guess I'm not too much older than you." She told him, he smiled, it was nice to meet new people, he'd nearly forgot how to do this.

"Well, we'll take care a ya, as long as ya do your part." He told her, she nodded getting to her feet and leaning down kissing him full on the lips. His eyes went wide for a moment before he responded kissing her back.

"Thanks cowboy." She said with a wink walking away, he fell back into his bed his head spinning, what the fuck was he gonna do now?

**If anyone has any suggestions about what should happen I'd love to hear them, I'm feeling a little blocked since they exiled Carol.**


	27. Chapter 27

**This isn't one of my better chapters, I still need a bit of inspiration since they banished poor Carol. Please review and tell me how I'm doing, you guys inspire me to keep writing, the more you review the faster I get these chapters out. **

Sophia went to find her mom, she just needed a hug so she could start to calm down again, or maybe she just needed to punch something, like Carl, ugh. See that's why she needed space, so she didn't beat the crap out of Carl.

She found her mom scooping stew into bowls and handing them out, of course she was helping the group, she loved her mom, but she worked too hard sometimes. She sighed getting in line to get her own food, wiping out the inside of her cheap plastic bowl with her hand.

The stew looked good at least, more like stew and less like water with meat and roots in it, and for the first time in a long time it smelled like food. Sophia's stomach growled when her mom heaped a generous ladle full into her bowl.

"Nice to have real food ain't it sweety?" Carol asked, she looked so happy, Sophia couldn't bring herself to say anything. She just smiled giving her a nod and went to sit with Kiry, who appeared to be okay with meat for the moment.

"It was a risk is all I'm sayin damn girl get your panty's out your ass." Merle grumbled, Kiry just shook her head scooting over to let Sophia sit down.

"Drop it Merle, I ain't never gonna stop helpin. What about you kid, you look surprisingly blue, considerin." Kiry said hoping to change the subject, Sophia shrugged leaning her head onto Kiry's shoulder with a sigh.

"Just had a fight with Carl, ain't nothin to worry about." Sophia told them, Merle laughed running his fingers along the bottom of his bowl and licking them clean.

"Jr. Friendly chaffin at ya already?" Merle chuckled, laying his hand over Kiry's, even that made him a little uncomfortable, but it was worth it.

"Ugh, why are you men always trying to define everything, does he annoy you am I your boyfriend, don't do this, don't do anything that makes you happy!" Sophia hissed, Merle's eyes went wide, he had no idea what he'd done to set of the firecracker.

"Wow now firecracker, I didn't mean nothin by it." Merle told her holding his good hand up, Kiry bit her lip trying not to laugh.

"I take it Carl was trying to figure out if you're dating." Kiry said with a smirk, she'd guessed that they were, and Merle had confirmed it, but she was sure Daryl didn't know yet.

"He doesn't trust me, Liam is all stupid and flirty, and he got all fuckin jealous!" Sophia grumbled, Kiry wrapped her free arm around her shoulders.

"Don't sweat it kid, this one fucked up a thousand times before he figured it out." Kiry reassured her, she sighed looking down at her food.

"I guess, but I don't like that blond floozy she ain't right, and she's such a flirty skank." Sopiha mumbled, Kiry raised an eyebrow at her.

"So you don't trust him either?" Kiry asked, Sophia pouted looking very much like a kid and not a teenager.

"That's not it, it's just he's right we weren't technically together, what if he likes her better?" She asked, Merle actively ignored the conversation not wanting to have any part of this.

"Then he's an idiot, did you know, when I was seventeen, and he was twenty-three he took me to this dance, and I was so sure he was the one, and that he'd never hurt me." Kiry started, Merle cringed looking down at his prosthetic fiddling with the buckle guiltily.

"A week later I went to his place and he was passed out naked with this skank, he'd gotten so high that I couldn't even wake him. I thought I' never forgive him." She told her, Sophia looked over at Merle in disgust and he couldn't even be mad about it, he'd been shit to her when he was high.

"Why did you?" Sophia asked, Kiry reached out snagging his hand giving it a squeeze, she felt a little bad for dredging this up, but she wanted to help Sophia.

"Because no matter how stupid he can be, he's always been there when it counted, every body fucks up some times, you just gotta make it right remember." Kiry told her, Sophia chuckled her hand going to her necklace.

"Ya, we'll figure it out, and if he turns out to be a dick, I'll just shoot him in the ass, works for dad." Sophia told her feeling much better now.

Daryl watched as Carol passed out food, he didn't know how that woman always ended up working on something even when she wasn't the one who was supposed to be doing it. She was eating hers absently while she worked, so Daryl waited until the last of the group had a bowl and came up behind her.

He grabbed her by the waist pulling her back into the kitchen one hand over her mouth to keep her from yelping. She slapped his hand away looking back at him and smacking him in the chest.

"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" She accused him, he pulled her roughly into him looking down at her hungrily.

"Just missed my woman." He leered, Carol blushed stealing a small kiss, but Daryl would have none of it, he flicked his tongue over her bottom lip grabbing her ass with both hands. She moaned into him her hands tangling in his hair.

"Mm, I have to bring Glen his food, he's on watch, then I have to clean this all up." Carol groaned like a petulant child. He smirked trailing open-mouthed kisses from her ear to her collar-bone his rough stubble raising goosebumps down her flesh.

"Maggie's got Glen, saw her leave with his food, and Beth and the new kids can clean, ya gotta get off your damn feet and let your man take care a ya. Your a Dixon now woman, and I ain't lettin ya go back to doin all the shit work, ya can hunt and contribute in ways that don't keep ya away from me half the damn day." He growled into her ear, she purred snaking one hand down to cup his rising issue expertly.

"You could always help me dish out food next time if you're lonely pooky." She joked leaning up on her toes and with a little leap she wrapped her legs around his waist capturing his lips. He stumbled forward leaning her against the wall running his hands over her body greedily.

"Jesus I gave ya a whole building to do that in, we cook in here!" Rick groaned turning around covering his eyes. Michonne followed close behind throwing her hands up to shield her eyes.

"Sorry." Carol mumbled dropping her feet, Daryl just growled scooping her up and throwing her over his shoulder and going out the back door with out a word.

"Daryl!" Carol squeaked, leaving the two of them to laugh at the display, Rick was always shocked at how far he'd come since the quarry.

"Those two are like teenagers I swear." Rick joked going to the back of the kitchen to grab the alcohol he'd seen there he wanted to have a bit of a celebration tonight so he was collecting all of it to see what the had to ration for the party.

Merle was quite until Kiry was done eating and even then he just got up nodding to the door, she ruffled Sophia's hair and followed Merle out. He took her hand once they were outside and they just walked towards the building they'd been given.

"Didn't mean nothin by bringin that up, I just wanted to help." Kiry whispered, Merle looked up like she'd startled him out of his thoughts.

"I was shit to ya, I remember, that ain't your fault." Merle told her the far off look coming back, Kiry had only seen him look like that once before, it was how he dealt with guilt when he was clean. He had so many demons.

"Hey Merle." Kiry said slipping her hand out of his and turning around to walk backwards in front of him. He looked down at her with a little half-smile.

"Catch me if you can!" She told him running off towards their place, it was something they did a lot when they were younger, Merle couldn't help but smirk as he ran after her. He liked this, it was simple and it took his mind off things, she always knew how to make him forget.

He chased her damn near the whole way before he got a hold of the tails of her vest, she spun around breaking his hold and flinging herself at him tackling him to the ground. He caught her taking the brunt of the fall laughing heartily while she kissed his neck.

"I love you Merle, you ain't gotta feel bad about the shit ya did while ya were out a your head, just gotta keep doin what you do best." She told him with a wink, he growled capturing her lips and forcing himself to his feet with some difficulty, never breaking the kiss while she had her legs wrapped around his waist.

He kicked the door open preying they really had cleared it, 'cause he was out of his head right now. He kicked it shut behind them stumbling blindly backwards towards the bed. When his knees buckled against the edge of the rather large bed dropping him with a huff onto the mattress he realized something.

"Never had a proper bed for this." He growled kissing down to her breasts, she moaned pushing his shirt up roughly. He ripped it off struggling to unzip her tight jeans with one hand, he couldn't even hold the damn thing still with his bum hand because it still had a knife on it.

"Fuckin knife!" He snarled, Kiry frowned at it unbuckling the thing and pulling it off, Merle looked down at the mutilated stump self-consciously, but Kiry just leaned forward struggling out of her jeans and unzipping his.

He growled pushing her shirt over her head and pulling her down onto his hard length, letting his head loll back at the sensation. She dropped her shirt to the floor capturing his lips while she rocked her hips into him. He dipped his hand between them finding her core as she buried her face in the nape of his neck biting down as she clenched around him.

He moaned throwing her down on the bed working her over the edge again before she'd even come down from her first high. He growled feeling her bite down until she nearly drew blood, he loved what he could do to her.

He kept pushing that high with all his tricks until he collapsed spilling into her dripping with sweat, burning from the heat of her passion. She clung to him as he finally let her come down, he rolled off her pulling her onto his chest.

"God I love you woman." Merle groaned letting his eyes drift closed, she chuckled running her hand down his chest contentedly.

"Why haven't we been doing this forever?" Kiry asked with a little moan, he laughed with smacking her ass.

"Because you wouldn't put out, you were kind of a prude." He joked, she laughed with him, because for the first time in her life things were looking up.

The Governor and his men had spent days running in circles, the Greene farm was over run, and so was the place in Atlanta, it was a wild goose chase. That bitch had sent him the wrong way, he was going to cut out her heart if she wasn't already torn to bits.

When they opened the gate they were greeted be a hoard of gnashing biters, they lost three men before the got coordinated. The Governor snarled ordering his men back into their cars, he had six people left, six! Those ass holes had taken everything from him.

He took them to the prison, he would find them and he would make them pay for everything they took from him. He would search the whole of Georgia if he had to, he would kill each and every one of those defilers.

He didn't have trackers, and he was down to only a hand full of men, but it didn't matter. The biters were a limitless resource. All he had to do was find them.

Britta sat on her bed flipping the small slip of paper over in her fingers, it was faded and torn, but it was all she had left of her family. One note with just one sentence written on it; Get out a that rat hole, and meet me at the marina baby sister.

She'd gotten it the day things went to shit, but in order to get to the marina she needed a car, weapons and supplies. Things she hadn't been able to get together yet, but now these people showed up, and they had put everything she needed within reach. All she needed was someone young and gullible to get her the keys, and get her to that car.

If she could just get to that damn car she knew she could find him, and her whole gang, there was no way they'd been taken down by a bunch of dead ass holes. She just had to get there, and Carl was her ticket out of this rat hole.

She tucked the paper into her bra getting up, she would only need a few more days to get him to trust her. She didn't want to do anything to hurt these people, they seemed decent as far as people went, all she wanted was what they had.

Carl couldn't find Sophia, she had been in the cafeteria, but she wasn't anymore. He stuck his head into the bunk house just long enough to see Britta, and no Sophia, he nodded uncomfortably and hurried back out. He finally found her sitting on the wall by the gate taking watch.

"Hey." Carl whispered climbing up the ladder to sit next to her dangling his feet over the edge, Sophia looked over at him with a weak smile.

"Hey." She whispered back letting her eyes go back to the woods so she wouldn't have to look at him and feel guilty.

"You still mad at me?" Carl asked, she sighed her hand going to the necklace worrying the pendant nervously.

"No, I'm sorry I freaked out, I... I guess I'm just as guilty of not trusting you as you are me. It's just I ain't like her... I ain't no good at any a this shit, and she's so... obviously pretty." Sophia mumbled, Carl looked down kicking the wall guiltily.

"She um... she kissed me, I didn't..." He started and Sophia knocked him back over the wall, he yelped grabbing the ladder to break his fall pulling it down with him. Sophia turned dropping down beside him with a steely glare.

"You let her kiss you!?" She snarled struggling to keep her anger under wraps, it could have been nothing, but she couldn't get past that he let her touch him.

"No, she just did, I didn't have time to do anything." He explained, Sophia shook her head her anger deflating. She was just so disgusted with the thought of that sluts lips on his, he was hers, they were supposed to be together and what had happened made her sick.

"You didn't try to stop her?" She whispered, her voice tight with un-shed tears, but she had to know because if he had then maybe it would stop making her heart hurt, and her stomach churn.

"I... I didn't get a chance 'Phia, she just... I would of." He tried getting off the ground and reaching out to her.

"Don't! Don't touch me... I just need space, just the thought makes me sick... let me... let me deal for a while, just take watch." She told him, he didn't know what to say, he just wanted to be honest with her, he didn't want to hurt her.

""Phia, come on... I didn't... 'Phia is... are we okay?" He asked clutching the strap on his crossbow to try and keep down the pain welling up in his chest.

"I don't know yet, just... let me deal." She told him walking away, he put the ladder back up and took watch, feeling a hollow pit in his stomach.

Sophia went straight towards the barracks, she had just one thought in her head, maybe she needed to introduce that slut's lips to her fist. Maybe it wouldn't hurt so bad if she spread the pain around a little, and that bitch needed to learn to keep her lips off what was hers.

"Hey!" Sophia called out slamming the door shut, Britta came around giving her a confused look with her slutty face.

"What do you want?" She asked, and before Sophia could think of a response she let her fists do the talking. She punched that bitch right in the kisser, a fleshy thwack followed by a spray of blood from her cut up lips.

"You keep your filthy lips of my boyfriend bitch!" She snarled, Britta spit blood on the floor a smile cracking her bloody lips.

"He seemed to like it, you sure he still wants to be with a piece a trash like you now that he's tasted a real woman. You're so out of your league bitch." Britta smirked wiping off her mouth, Sophia snarled an inhuman noise punching her again.

"Won't have to worry when your face is too busted up to know you even are a woman!" Spohia spat, she would have hit her again, but then Beth and Liam walked in.

"Effin a what is this holy show?" Liam asked looking at what they were doing, Britta smiled spitting another mouth full of blood onto the floor.

"We're just workin some shit out Willy, ain't that right?" She said looking at Sophia, she scowled wishing she could hit her again.

"Ya, I think we figured it out." Sophia spat leaving the building, Liam looked her up and down for a moment.

"Gonna have a word with Britta doll, won't take but a tick." He told Beth nodding to the door, Britta followed him rolling her eyes.

"What did you do you manky slag, we got a fiercely good thing here, you tryin to botch it?" He asked, she laughed wiping her mouth off and spitting again.

"Bitch just doesn't like me talkin to her man, ain't nothin I ain't dealt with before." She told him, he covered his face with his hands.

"Don't make bags a this you floozie." He told her shaking his head and going back inside to be with Beth. Britta went over to the water pump and washed her mouth out and her face off before she went to look for Carl. She found him on the wall.

"Hey cowboy." Britta said climbing up and sitting next to him, Carl groaned pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I'm in enough trouble as it is 'cause a you." Carl grumbled, Britta smiled sheepishly and he finally looked over at her.

"I heard, me Sophia had words, she ain't too happy with me neither. I didn't know y'all were an item, didn't mean to fuck nothin up for ya. I'm sorry." She told him, she had a split lip and the beginnings of a deep purple bruise on her cheek.

"She wailed on you, sorry, I shouldn't a told her. Seems like I can't do nothin right since we got here." He told her, she really did feel bad for the boy, he seemed like a good guy, and she saw an opportunity to help both of them.

"You should take watch tonight, might be able to patch things up with your woman." She told him, Carl gave her a look of shock.

"How do you mean?" He asked, she smiled pulling a string off he jeans absently and letting it drop to the ground.

"Well sounds like I did a number on the two a ya, so maybe if ya take watch tonight we could take a little drive over to Jake's, it's a pawn shop off a dirt road, closer than that bar y'all were talkin about, get her somthin nice as an apology. I'd take ya." She offered, he thought about it, they could always use supplies, and a pawn shop was a gold mine most days.

"Ya, what could it hurt?" Carl told her, she smiled, a wide genuine smile. She'd take him to the shop and back, then she'd take the car. She wouldn't leave the guy out to dry, but she'd get what she needed.

"Exactly, I'll see around dark cowboy." She told him turning around and climbing down the ladder with a grin.


End file.
